


Stay with me

by Seirin_Chiwen



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, F/M, Festival, Fluff, Fun, Medium Burn, Mt. Ebott (Undertale), Multi, Nightmares, Reader isn't all good or all bad, Selectively Mute Frisk (Undertale), Soulmates, Souls, Swearing, Tags will be added, There's a plot now, You guessed it - Freeform, reader and frisk are friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21736297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seirin_Chiwen/pseuds/Seirin_Chiwen
Summary: Ebott's new Festival.On this occasion and for the first time since the Emergence, the Monster Capital opens its doors to the world.It's a unique time to mingle and meet new faces! As for you, you're back in town at the request of an old friend.Meeting a charming bunch of skeletons during your stay isn't part of the plan, but they look like they could use a friend.[English is not the Author's native language]
Relationships: Everyone/Reader, Papyrus/Reader, Reader&Frisk, Sans/Reader
Comments: 19
Kudos: 175





	1. Prologue

"You are on you own now." 

A light breeze caresses your cheeks and makes you shiver.

The nights are getting colder. If not for the clear sky and the promise to see stars, no doubt you would have packed your bags and left this cursed town long ago. A sigh escapes from your lips. You lean on the walk railing and take a deep breath before straightening the scarf around your neck. 

A soft tug on your leg makes you look down at the child at your feet. Huddled-up, they stare at the horizon in silence but you can tell what's bothering them.

.

.

.

"Hey, why the long face? We've been over this already."

From the corner of your eye, you can see them flinch. Their soft brown hair falls gently down to their neck, framing their face on which a slight pout has already appeared. They nervously pull the hem of their striped sweater.

Suddenly, their head whips up in your direction and instantly, your get lost in those two ruby red eyes. 

**_'Do you really have to go ?'_ **

"Eh, you're one tough cookie. You'll be fine." You grin as you affectionately pet their hair, only getting a weak smile in return. "And if you _do_ get in trouble, I'll be there."

_We look out for our own_

As the waves silently crash a few meters down on the beach, a comfortable silence settles. A moment of silent companionship you both enjoyed, and hopefully the last.

_**'Can I ask you a question?'** _

You hum your response, turning your head slightly so you can focus on their hands.

**_'We are still friends, right ?'_ **

Their expression, usually a model of unwavering determination, is a bit strained and they give you an expectant look.

"That's right." Comes your answer, an easy smile on your lips. "Never doubt that."

That answer seems to appease them and your expression softens.

"Anyway." You start with a stretch, "I know you can do it, so give it you best, alright ?"

"I'll be on my way-hm?" 

... 

"Right."

...

"It's a promise then."

"See you around, Frisk"


	2. New Ebott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Ebott City !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ! Thanks for the comments and the kudos ! 
> 
> Uh, so, I hope you'll find my writing consistent, as I only write when I can (meaning at indecent intervals). Enjoy !  
> Also, sorry if it's too long ? It'll only get worse (oops). I just want to give you an idea of what you're getting into and get to the sweet, sweet, juicy parts

When you open your eyes, you are instantly dazzled by the sun above you. Absently, you play with the necklace around your neck and squint your eyes, still heavy from tiredness. Your first thought is that the weather is pleasant. You're so tired though. The sunlight warms your skin and relieve the pressure on your shoulders. At ease, your sleepy mind still manages to come up with a thought that makes you frown.

_Where...?_

You grunt quietly, trying to get your bearings.

A bench, the shade of a tree, a road and -....

"Hello there ! Welcome to Ebott, little lady! Ya here for the festival?"

The cheerful voice of a man pulls you out of your thoughts, as you were intently staring at the car parade (?) before you. Slowly, your gaze shifts to the man, his somewhat rough appearance contrasting with the colourful shirt he proudly wore. He gives you a confident smile and waits patiently for your answer.

_‘The festival…’_

...

_‘Right.’_

  
  


You smile back, amused to see so much enthusiasm, and just nod your head in response, trying not to look as lost as you felt until his intervention. If he is intrigued by your lack of verbal response, he doesn't comment on it and giggles. 

"Ya come at the right time then!" He cheers before continuing on a more serious tone. "Ah, sorry, the name's Sam. It's the first time Ebott welcomes so many visitors since the Monsters settled there. Everyone's super busy so me and some other residents get to greet the curious folks this year. " 

The man's excitement is contagious and you find yourself nodding several times.

_Monsters._

They sure had become a hot topic these last months.

And their "capital".

New Ebbot, the city of Monsters. 

About a year ago, a whole new race had emerged from the gloomy mountain looming over the city. With a wide range of appearances and personalities, they immediately tried to fit in, promulgating messages of peace and coexistence. They were led by the royal couple and their young Human ambassador who had all been working hard to ensure that monsters were acknowledge by the international community and granted fundamental rights. It was a rocky ride but after a year, they were mostly successful.

Your gaze wanders on this perfect example of a Monster city. Monster culture is everywhere and monster businesses have multiplied, not to mention it was one of the only place where you got to see Monsters and Humans mingle together. No wonder people got curious and took their chance to visit the usually secluted town. Truthfully, your felt a bit giddy whenever you saw one yourself. 

"The festival doesn't start for two days, ya got a place to stay already?" the man asks with a hint of concern and you nod absent-mindely. 

He doesn't get a chance to question it as you get up and pat him on the shoulder. 

"Ah! You leaving ? Ain't going to hold you back any longer! Just make sure you don't stray out of district 1 and 3. And come visit me at my booth, Sam's, can't miss it. I'll treat you to a drink!" Your face must have lighten up at the invitation because he starts grinning all over again and head for another group of visitors. 

  
  


***

From what you recalled, Ebott had been a gloomy place. A small village where life was rather dull. Surrounded by forests and only a few kilometres from the sea, the mountain looming over it gave off this mystical feel that used to give you the creeps back in the days. But as you roamed the now crowded streets of the New Ebott with open wonder, you couldn't help but feel like you were in a whole different place. A lovely city that makes you forget for a while your distaste for the lifeless Ebott in your memory. In the past, you'd often felt as if time itself had stopped in this forgotten land, but now… Colourful lights and eye catching banners lit the streets. Kids laughter and happy conversations fill your ears and you see people merrily decorating the windows and doors with balloons and flowers. Each sound and smell brings you back to good memories and you almos feel dizzy. It was so _exhilarating_! Before you know it you just start wanderinging.

***

Humming the tune of a song you heard a band play in the park, you breathe a satisfied sigh and nibble on the last fry from the tray in your hands. Crispy and warm. The vendor, a cat Monster gave you a discount after you helped him disperse the crowd of aggressively friendly children around him. He had you promise not to say a word to his boss, a tense, almost manic smile plastered on his face. The poor guy looked like he deserved a break but desperately denied it before you even tried to suggest it. 

And thirty minutes later, there you were. 

Completely 

_Lost_

More or less, anyway. 

_‘Well damn…_ ’

You’d probably have felt more upset if the situation wasn’t so absurd. You didn't think you could possibly get lost in Ebbot, but you didn't take in consideration how big the little town had become. It was a real city, with parks, shops, buildings and maze-like streets. District 1 was just that stupidly big.

In your defense, the streets were full of distractions. You couldn't even remember what made you stray from the main road in the first place. The opening parade was in a few days, only a few stands were already set up but you had fun doing some sighseeing, cheering the vendors and find hidden alleyways.

It took you to get to a dead end to finally backtrack to the main street. The further you went, the more dense the crowd appeared, but you managed fairly easily to work your way without bumping anybody. You also noticed the number of monsters increasing. 

Although you had already grown accustomed to their presence, seeing so many of them gathered in the same place felt surreal. You fiddle nervously with the necklace around your neck. The pendant adorns your cleavage and upon contact, it grounds you. 

'...'

At some point, you realise that you've been staring blankly at the window of what appeared to be a pastry for a solid five minutes. The sign read "Muffet's" and, as you focus on the displays, you catch your reflection in the glass and pause. 

Short hair frames a face with delicate, weary features. You smile lazily, your eyes half-closed and ringed. Kinda looks like you just woke up, actually. Useless thoughts start to crowd your mind and you blink several times to clear up your mind. 

_Got sidetracked again_

Satisfied to simply stroll on the sidewalks, you notice that the roads are being cleared out for the ouverture parade. Distracted by the overall bustle, you almost rush into something. No. _Someone_. 

You think you lose your footing but regain your balance just as quickly. Your luck is brief though, a throbbing pressure on your soul making you wobble for a second. 

_'Uh-... '_ Stunned, you grab your shirt and try to steady yourself. 

  
  


***

  
  


It's well past noon when you decide to stop fooling around and get to the place you'd stay during your vacation. Still, there was a tiny thing you needed to do before that though.

Next to you, a young Monster - a sort of dinosaur you assumed, was explaining to you with zest why Christmas decorations could be found all over the city in the mid-summer (apparently, they considered them cool enough to be used for all occasions and you thought it was precious). 

You had met MK a few alleys earlier, after your little stumbling, and immediately sympathized with the armless kid. Basically, you'd been walking way behind him yet still managed to catch up because of how he would fall every other step. That got you a bit concerned, but since no one really seemed to be worried -not even him-, you simply kept an eye on him while tending to your business. However he kept running from stand to stand, and you barely managed to catch him before a particularly nasty fall. You'd straightened him up, intent on warning him to be more careful but it was hard to keep a stern look when he looked so startled.

_'Are you all right?' You signed, raising an eyebrow when he gave you a weird look. 'Be careful.'_

_"Yo dude! Thanks for the hand" he winked, and you may have snickered. Well, he thanked you, but seeing how carefree he behaved, you doub he cared that much about falling a few more times... Maybe you should take him to his parents..._

He then insisted to show you the "coolest spots" he knew around this part of the city to thank you. Admitedly, you were a bit sceptical, but he seemed to know what he was doing and you could already picture him having some kind of terrible accident if he was left alone.

Anyway, back in the present, you start to see the consequences of you decision, as you are pondering the pros and cons of following MK any further. Beside the fact he's dragged you around for half an hour, he wanted you to follow him in another dark narrow alleyway. Truth be told, you'd rather not go... And you would probably have call it quits if the child in stripes haven't rushed into the said alley. 

With reluctance, you follow him, treading carefuly because of the unsteady slabs. Midway, you realize MK is still talking, probably unaware he completely outrun you. 

"...- and then Undyne walked in and it was like she could see them through the tallgrass! So she invoked a spear and--" 

You wince when a step in the wrong direction propels him forward. With one hand, you grab him by the collar and gently set him down on the ground. You deadpan when he gives you a radiant smile, unfazed at having come so close to the asphalt. 

"You're really fast!"

_'_ And you have a knack for getting in trouble, you know that ?'

"Hey! That's what Undyne says too! You should totally meet her." 

... 'The leader of the Royal Guard, right? ' 

"Yeah! She's super cool !" He beams, his eyes shining with admiration. You coo a bit, pointing out how "cool" he's too, which only makes him swell with pride. 

'I-'

You don't get to finish tant sentence, as your soul perceives a familiar presence behind you. It's approaching at full speed and you whip your head around just in time to catch the child who has literally thrown themself into your arms.

You lift them up and a huge smile appears on your face. You hold them tightly against you when you hear them sniffing gently between two bursts of laughter. 

"Frisk!"


	3. Tolerance

"YO"

This time you startle. MK looks frantic, clearly bewildered by the situation.

"You KNOW each other ??" He asks, literally bouncing on his two little legs and it's adorable how he looks almost as excited as you. "Frisk, you didn't tell me you had Human friends! And they're so cool! How'd you guys meet?" Frisk remains calm, answering each question with short answers, but their eyes remain on you, following your every movement even as you crouch down to be at their level.

'Easy there, champ.' You patiently pat his back when he tries to catch his breath and Frisk giggles to his antics. You thought they might know each over but that was still a surprise. 'How did **you** meet ?'

From your little adventure, you were under the impression that MK was a passionate storyteller and, just as expected, he forgets his questions and rather engages in a complex narrative -you didn't expect the story to include so many weapons and chaotic running- that Frisk has to interrupt several times when he gets a bit far-fetched.

He is literally vibrating again by the end of the story, and you have to make him sit down to calm down. 

  
  
  


Hate to cut it short but, maybe we should leave it at that for today.’ You reason as Frisk continues to fan their little friend with a flyer. 'You’re tired and I've still got some errands to run.’

"We can go with you, dudeee..." MK struggles to say, his head supported by Frisk's shoulder "’m great."

‘Sure you are.’ You hold back a chuckle. 'But it's getting late. So, let's call it a day, yeah?' You wave to Frisk who nods back and shifts MK so he doesn't fall off.

'Can you get him home? ' You inquire and Frisk nods happily. 

You straighten up, ready to send them off, but Frisk grips the sleeve of your jacket, capturing your gaze in theirs.

'...'

_Ah_

The moment they start signing, your eyes zero in on their hands. 

‘Let's meet tomorrow.’

.

.

.

Your eyes narrow on them and a tentative smile breaks through their face. You huff an amused sigh, 'Sure. I know where to find you.' They grin wide and run off in the opposite direction, dragging a groggy MK over their shoulder..

***

The sun is just starting to set when you find the little supermarket you spotted at the entrance of Ebott. If you're going to be here for a while, you're going to need supplies. 

It was the end of the day and people were slowly starting to head home to rest in anticipation of the first day of the festival. You relax your shoulders when you spot the mostly empty aisles. 

You turn into the first section that you see and start scanning the shelves.

Soap, check

Brushes, check

Snacks, check

Office supplies, check

And... some goodies you were going to offer, check...

_'I could get a box of candy for Frisk...'_ You think, absent-mindedly. ‘Guess I’ll have to get a job during the festival...'

**"Get off me!"**

The cry drags you from your thoughts, making you flinch. You turn around, looking for the cause of the ruckus. You jolt when you discover that a crowd has formed near the checkouts without you even noticing it. 

_'What the...'_

_Throb_

You feel it deep in your soul. 

Panic, anxiety, anger and disgust. A wave of emotions ripples through the store and you can't hold back a gasp. 'What's going on ?' Outside of an encounter, it was no small feat to trigger emotions strong enough to reach another soul. That is, for Humans.

_'Monster'_ You conclude in spite of your surprise. 'Damn it!' 

The crowd isn't very big and you manage to make your way to the centre without too much trouble. Yon only need a moment to take in the scene and you can already feel a drop of sweat beading down your temple.

A customer - in her twenties at most - with her arms folded tightly around her chest, is glaring at the monster in front of her, which she must have just shoved judging by her posture and the items scattered on the floor. The monster, a yellow dinosaur - another one ...? - with glasses, nervously pulls at the folds of her purple dress, looking as uneasy as the clerk, who looks ready to faint.

"Don't touch me, you dirty freak ! Y-you heard me!?"

The comment does not go unnoticed and you see the other customers expressions sour. As for you... 

' _A tourist ?'_ _... No._

It's in circumstances like these that you have to remain level-headed. _'_ You swiftly scan the crowd, reassured to find that no one is throwing themselves into the fray either. The situation would only get worse if someone were to play hero and rush headlong into the conflict. There were many ways to resolve a conflict, and from experience, a more subtle approach often proved to be more effective. 

The other customers are agitated.

But clerk is too rattled to intervene... _'_

The offender looks harmless enough, tense but not in an aggressive stance, _'and the other one...'_

From where you're standing, you can see the little monster shaking like a leaf. With her head down and her cheeks red, she is on the verge of tears and you feel guilty for preferring to see her on the defensive rather than in a position to retaliate. You could solve this much more easily if no party came to blows. 

Leaving your soul flare up, you walk towards the two clients with all the confidence that only years of acting can make so convincing. Instinctively, you stand in front of the monster, breaking eye contact between the two. The woman is staring at you, at first surprised by your approach, then defensively, a natural reaction to your body language, which you intended to be intimidating, at least to dissuade anyone from raising their voice more than necessary. You observe her expression shift from anger to confusion before turning to panic when you take a step towards her.

"Miss."

The sound is so foreign to you that you wonder for a moment if the word really came out of your mouth. It's been a while since you've used your voice in public like this. 

You try to overlook the awkwardness you feel and offer a patient smile. 

"You need to calm down."

"Ah-" Her eyes wide open, she stammers. You raise your eyebrows and she seems to come to her senses, the confusion evident on her face.

"N-no, I..." You tilt your head to encourage her to keep going. "Y-you don't get it." She whimpers and you feel the monster behind you flinch. "They are dangerous ! I can't believe we let them roam around free when they already ki-"

"This-." You insist, speaking over her before she says something she's bound to regret. Well, given what she already said, it was more a matter of minimize the losses at this point. "-is hardly the place to make such disrespectful comments. You are disturbing the other customers and the staff." You vaguely point to the crowd that's gone quiet since you stepped in. "If there is an issue, it can be solved without making a fuss. Please, _calm down_." You take another step, your tone placating yet firm. 

"Wh-What?" You can tell that she's furious when her cheeks turns red. " Who the hell-!? They're the one who..." She tries to come around you to point at the monster but her voice falters when you step in again, gently pushing her arm away. "Don't." Your eyes narrow in distaste and upon contact, she must feel _the veil of magic_ rising in the air because her eyes grow wide. She raise her head so you can finally _have a clear look at her face_.

.

.

.

She opens and closes her mouth as if to retaliate but no sound comes out, completely numb because of the stimulus. You release her arm when she slowly blinks, looking a bit lost, as though she had seen a ghost.

..."I am sure that you understand that." You say slowly, casting a glance at the crowd. "Especially during a festival that celebrates tolerance and understanding. It has-"

**_"Yeah, leave her alone!"_ **

**_"Does she have to be so rude? She just wanted to help her._**

**_"Can't believe racist have the nerve to show here..."_ **

Complications. _'Of course...'_ You should have seen it coming

Comments and criticism flows as if to make up for their previous lack of reaction. Surprised by the sudden change of atmosphere, you frown when the girl goes livid, caught in what is becoming a public lynching. 

Luckily, the clerk choose this moment to pull himself together. He rises abruptly. All eyes turn to him and he falter a bit under the scrutiny. With an unsteady voice he calls out to the customer. "Ma'am, uh, our store does not tolerate this kind of be-behavior. I-I'm going to have to ask you to leave the building if you continue to disturb the other customers!" He finishes promptly.

The room gets suddenly really quiet and you grab the girl by the shoulders when you see she's still too shaken to move, "I'll escort her." you propse, almost dragging her with you toward the exit. As you make contact, you feel her jerk, eyeing you with something akin to hatred, or maybe fear. Or is it frustration ?

_"I'm giving you an out, just take it._ " You whisper in her ear, and she lowers her head, without a word, allowing you to lead her out. 

Only outside, she pushes you away and takes a few steps away. You let her be, rocking gently on your feet. 'She still looks upset." you muse. The shame of being called out on her behaviour is clearly getting to her, without mentioning your little "exchange" must have freaked her out a tad. Eh.

You did not take racism lightly, and you'd only spared her from the angry crowd because she looked too young to have such strong convictions. You'd like to believe that she was just a kid repeating her parents's words but that was still worrisome.

_She can't be a resident... A trip with her friends, maybe ?_

A movement in your peripheral vision catch your attention and you swirl your head to meet the teenager's piercing gaze. Her face is now a twisted mix of shame and anger, perhaps even a little guilt, who knows. 

"Why are you still here? If you expect a 'thank you' for getting me out, well you can fuck off..." She snarls but her voice wavers repeatedly because of the hot tears she tries to hold back and you can't help but feel bad. God... You are by no mean a pushover, but you can't bear having kids turn the waterworks on you. 

Doesn't mean you don't know how to remain stern though. "Save your it, I don't need your thanks. Though you might want to apologize to someone..." You trail off and she looks at you like you actually grew a second head. “I know we’re basically strangers but, trust me, you're not doing yourself any favor behaving like that." 

"... What?" Her eyes are throwing daggers at you and you can't tell if she's getting impatient, offended or if she genuinely doesn't see the problem . 

"Kid." You deadpan. "There's a difference between being scared of someone and actively insulting them." You cross your arms and resume your movement, observing her reaction. "As far as I can tell, you don’t know the poor lass and they haven't harmed you. Whatever grudge you hold against Monsters, _that_ was damn rude." You have other words to describe it but decide keep it at that. There's something you're more curious about. "Don't want to put you on the spot here but you got me genuinely intrigued though. Why would someone who obviously fears Monsters come here of all places ?" You ask, the humor in your tone gone.

She doesn't answer right away and you can tell what's going on in this little head of hers. She looks away, her gaze trails to the side as she probably consider leaving right here and know, but she freezes when she notices you watching. You grin smugly. "Come on, **humor me** ?" 

She glares. Hard. An expression yelling 'That's not your fucking business. ' written all over her face but she eventually surrounded, probably figuring out you'll continue to bother her until you get that answer. 

"... I'm with my friends." She says slowly, speaking each word with unnatural caution.

You hum in response, gesturing her to continue and when she doesn't, "So, any reason you're so scared of them ?" The way she looks at you like you're some kind of clueless idiot isn't really flattering but, you're probably doing the same, so that's fair. 

"What do you think? They killed children and stole their souls. You expect me to trust them? ." Her voice is soft, but there's conviction in her words. Now that's worrisome. 

_'Ah' I_ _t is a popular... argument. Difficult to deny because it was based on a official confession the Royalty had made after the Emergence. And once you've acknowledged it, it's rather easy to convince yourself that even the creepiest allegations hold a part of truth._ _How ironic..._

The two of you stand there for a moment, looking at each other without saying a word. You're the first one to break the silence. "Their king did." You correct and her brows furrow further. "It is awful, but he already paid for that. Don't put the blame on all of them." 

"It doesn't matter ! " She scowls and there's a edge to her voice. "You really think they can't hurt you just because they say they won't?" 

"Kid, juste try to keep things in perspective there." You hum, but it sounds more like a sigh. Your eyelids drop in a aloof look, "Just because something can harm you doesn't mean it wilI. **I could kill you** , you just assume I won't because I have no reason to do so. Well the same goes for Monster. They're just people."

'...' She levels you with a glare and start walking away, ending the conversation like an edgy teen fleeing in their room to avoid the ranting of their parents. Well. 

"Don't pull a stunt like that again." You call out but don't make a move to catch up with her. "... I think that went well." 

You stay a couple more minutes, gazing at the street ahead of you. It'd be nice if you'd managed to beat some sense into her, maybe she could really enjoy the festival then. Frisk worked hard to be a good ambassador. You'd heard about their engagement in all Monster-related debate. A hardworking kid...

**Click**

You spin around when you hear a noise coming from behind you. Your soul stutters in surprise, before it starts rumbling in warning. 

_"Who's there?"_

The intruder jumps and you calm down as soon as you recognize them as the Monster from earlier. 

"O-oh! S-sorry! My name is Alphys. I'm, uh, the monster that... You, uh, you helped me earlier and-" She introduce herself with some difficulties, playing anxiously with the bag in her hands.-she was also doing it earlier, old habit ?-. Oh, your groceries! You had forgotten them, great !

‘It's you.' She follows intently the movement of your hands but doesn't comment on your choice to go back to signing. 

You can almost see the stars in her eyes and you muffle a snicker when she realizes she's been staring at you for a solid minute. You point at the bag in her hands, recognizing your purchase, and her cheeks turn a crimson red. She clumsily approaches and hand it to you. She looks even more frantic when you thank her, barely finiding the courage to answer you.

"I really wanted to thank you for standing up for me e-earlier!" She stammers. "Not a lot of people care enough to, ahah... I-I mean, you were really cool! A-and that was nice of you to check on her afterwards!" 

'You were listening?' You ask but her expression is a dead giveaway. 

"Oh, I, uh, I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I just..."

'I don't mind.' She breathes a long sigh of relief. 'Don't pay too much attention to what she said. She's just a scared kid. Not inherently bad.' Just ignorant.

All you get from Alphys is an unreadable look. Her jaw slightly opens when she seems to be considering something. She raises her head, playing nervously with her hands like she was about to ask a loaded question.

"...Do you think that can change?"

.

.

.

'...Who knows? People learn.' You shrug. "You'd be surprised to see what someone can achieve when given some guidance." You continue while rummaging through the bag. "Tolerance is something you work on. She might change her mind, anybody can. Usually, we just need some time and a little push. Sometimes the push comes from the outside, other times from the inside. Sometimes it even never comes or we refuse to act on it... That's up to her.' 

"That's an interesting way of putting it." Again she's mulling your words and you immediately regret rambling. 

'Let's just say I'm an optimist.' You shrug 'Anyway, thanks for the groceries. Gotta go.' You sign, but freeze when she grabs your shirt.

"OH! Of course, but, I, uh, I wanted to thank you and I don't know how I-" 

Now, she is the one rambling. And... “Wow, wow, deep breathe Alphys” You fret and just kinda awkwardly flails your arms around her. Wow, you were really bad at this.. She straightens up when she hears her name so you take the chance to gently pat her back. Thankfully, she relaxes at some point and apologizes, clearly embarrassed she'd gotten so carried away. 

'It's fine' You reassure her and urge her to take one of the sweets in your bag. Sugar was always a safe bet. 'I need to go... If you see me during the festival, just holler. You can treat me then, alright ? The name's Y/N.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said the updates would be random ? That's what I meant, eheh...eh...my bad
> 
> No, more seriously, I finished writing this chapter a while ago but had a hard time finding the time to translate and correct it, because of school and stuff, you know ? Oups. Hope you like it anyway !  
> Thanks for the comments, kudos and follow, as usual o/


	4. Help Wanted (part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader meets with some old friends and gets a request. Also cross the path of another Mettaton-lover

_'Nice shop'._

When you finally find the place where you were supposed to stay, you feel the emotion swell in your chest at the thought of finally being able to put down your luggage. With your car abandoned in a car park not far from the shop, your evening so far has been a succession of round trips punctuated by you asking for directions. Why your friend chose to settle down in a dead-end alley, you had no idea. 

The facade looks a bit shabby, and it's obvious that the owner is a collector. The white front is completely hidden behind piles of unusual items, and each time the wind rustles through the passage, the whole structure seems ready to collapse. Bells ring, posters fly off and lamps flicker. You'd consider turning back if you weren't used to the owner's eccentricities.

With a confident stride, you push the door open and the jingling of a small bell announces your presence. As soon as you enter, your gaze zeroes in on the silhouette at the counter. You do your best to ignore the stacks of books, newspapers, stuffed animals, clothes, mirrors (you stop trying to list everything when you spot underwear in the pile) that litter the crackling wooden floor and threaten to tumble down as you walk by, and head towards the counter. 

"Gerson!" You call him, thrilled. 

The turtle, with his back to you, jumps and barely dodges a cardboard box that his movement has knocked over. He turns around slowly, his legendary smirk already in place.

"You're late, kid!" He exclaims as he adjusts his hat. " Got lost again?" He asks you while clearing out the counter so you can put your stuff on it.

'You guessed it.' You giggle, the sheer excitement of seeing the old man making you lower your guard naturally. 'I've been enjoying the scenery a bit, run a few errands. And I met some cool fellas on my way, actually.' You smile, remembering the two yellow Monsters. 'Ah, I ran into Frisk, too!' 

"Eh, 'almost sent them to get you when I saw you weren't coming! Glad you got to meet them, wahaha !"

Gerson is a monster you met five months ago or so, while you were down south. The Monsters had received permission to leave Ebott a few weeks prior, but you didn't expect to meet the old turtle at the first exhibition you attended. It was an archaeology exhibition and it was already rather interesting until a large turtle dressed as an explorer showed up and stole the spotlight, sharing anecdotes with anyone willing -or not- to listen.

Few people dared to approach him, most of them simply observing from a distance, cautious or simply curious. After a while, the excitement subsided and you also found yourself no longer paying much attention to him, all your thoughts riveted on a massive bear skeleton. That's when he joined you, pointing out to you that some monsters would faint at the sight of this. 

The old man was witty and always had the right word to make you smile, his crooked grin and straightforwardness adding to his charm. You had often crossed paths after this first meeting and you were amazed at how fast you had grown attached to the old man. If you had to describe him, he would surely be that grandpa who pulls tricks with his grandchildren behind their parents's backs. In any case, like you, he was just passing by in town, or rather, he was looking for new goods for his boutique in Ebott. Naturally, you had helped him in his research and, without you realizing it, a little less than two months had passed. 

"You didn't have to wait until the festival to visit me ! Eh, you youths, always postponing things. " He teases you and you smirk.

'Killing two birds with one stone.' You reply with a challenging air to which he responds with his own mischievous smile. 'But I really had some business to attend to before I could return to Ebott.' You sign and feel a little guilty when he squints to read your gestures. 'Thanks for letting me stay here, Gerson. I've missed you.'

"Ah! It's nothing, girl. It's the least this old shell can do, right?"

You giggle when he proudly swells his chest and proceed to thank him again. 

As the conversation continues, you move from the shop downstairs to the first floor where Gerson lived and where he had already prepared a room for you. You gave him a big hug when you saw the room and he laughed at your antics. 

Eventually, it was already dark outside when you sat down at a table to chat over a drink and some snacks that you had bought earlier. There was no shortage of topics of conversation with him, and even though he tended to repeat himself, you didn't have the heart to point it out to him, just recounting for the third time your stay at the seaside, with a fond smile on your lips when a detail returns to him and he accuses you of "making fun of good ol' Gerson". 

At one point in the conversation, he slips away for a good ten minutes in the storeroom before returning with his arms full of all sorts of junk. You rush over to help him, torn between being concerned or amazed by this display of strength.

'What's all this for?' You ask as you examine a trombone. You refrain from blowing in it out of respect for your friend and the neighborhood, but the temptation is there.

"You said you used to play an instrument last time but yours was broken, ya? I couldn't remember which one it was so I just gathered a bunch of them, wahahah! Pick what you want, I can patch it up!"

"Pfff, right." You hide a snicker behind your hand. 'Where did you even find all this stuff?' Knowing him, he probably just found them nice and put them aside, but the gesture was appreciated. You laugh when you find a kazoo and a pair of cymbals in the heap. Not what you're looking for, but you might have some fun with it. 

'Ah, I think we have a winner.' You wink before grabbing a ukulele that was sticking out. The handle and bridge were a bit damaged and a cord was missing, but you really liked its shape and the designs that decorated the wood. He smiles at you and asks you to give it to him. 'Thank you Gerson, you're a sweetheart.' You sigh as you let your eyes close, more comfortable than ever.

"Ya got it, kid, Wahahah!" He's squinting again. " But anyway, kid... I may be imagining things, but youre signing more than usual, aren't you? You're okay? "He asks and you pause for a second.

"Hm" You open an eye to catch the knowing look on his face. You give an easy smile. "Nah, don't worry."

He doesn't appear to be too convinced, but let it go with a "Whatever you say, kid."

You feel all the fatigue built up during the day weighing on your eyelids and let Gerson know that you were going to bed. You both head towards the night area, and before saying good night, he asks you what you plan to do the next day and during the festival in general.

"Not sure yet..." You manage to mumble, your voice heavy with sleep. "I was just going to hang out with Frisk...Have fun, hm..." You strain your brain to think of a more elaborate answer. "Uh, probably find a gig or two around here, plenty to do." You pat yourself on the back for putting together a proper sentence.

"Wahaha, that's the spirit! Don't overdo it !"

And just like that, all the unpleasant things of the day are forgotten from the moment your head hits your pillow.

  
  
  


***

The next day, you're woken up by an insistent ringtone next to you. You crack open an eye, mechanically seeking out the source of the noise, but give up half way, intent on becoming one with the blanket instead. After a (long) while, the ringing stops and you curl up in bed, craving for more warmth. Slowly you realize that the ringing is most likely coming from your phone, left on your bedside table the night before. It takes several minutes to connect the dots and realize that you actually missed a call. Probably more than one if you were realistic. 

_'What's so important that they have to call me at...'_ You glance up at your alarm clock. 10:12 AM. _'Nervermind...'_

Much like your circle of close friends, your contact list was short and all knew not to expect prompt replies from you. 

You shove your face into your pillow to muffle a long sigh. Again. There was one person who had never quite been able to process this information.

You crawl out of bed, picking up your phone and a set of clean clothes in the process. You felt groggy. 

_'Five messages and… three missed calls._ ' You stare blankly at your screen and keep walking to the bathroom adjacent to your bedroom. You don't even have time to check the caller ID as the phone starts buzzing again. You answer, a nervous smile on your face when you spot your reflection in the mirror.

*click

" **DARLING!** " Comes a robotic voice. The volume almost makes you drop the phone, but you manage to get it away from your ear in time to save your eardrums. 

"Hello to you too, Metta." You answer coolly, hoping it will be enough to placate the metal idol.

"Oh my stars, your voice, darling! Where have you been? ... Don't tell me you were still asleep?" 

"...Well, technically, I-" You don't have time to elaborate, a high-pitched buzzer resonating through the receiver as if it detected some crappy excuse coming.

Ugh, you forgot he could do that. 

"No, don't say anything." You can hear him breathe a sigh as long as dramatic. "I heard from dear old Gerson that you were in Ebott for the festival? How could you not tell me that!" You can almost see him posing tragically at the thought. 

"Oh, I was about to..." You lie, you know, like a liar. His silence makes you giggle and you turn on the speaker so you can freshen up a bit. "I’m just messing with you. I arrived late last night. Barely had time to unpack yet, but I was seriously planning on calling you later today. 'Didn't think you'd beat me to it with a schedule as hectic as yours though. It's early." You add sarcastically. "So, what's up ?"

"Uh, moody, aren't we?" He comments, and you distinctly hear him tut-tut you. "Now, my dear, aren't you a lucky one? I just happen to have a favour to ask you, the chance of a lifetime, darling." He almost purrs and you swallow nervously.

"Hang on, Metta," memories of previous " favours" done to the robot pop up in mind and you already starts to feel wary. "What kind of favour?" 

"Ah, ah, darling! No cheating." He tuts you. "Now, please, no need to be afraid darling, I know you'll do wonderfully!" You can vaguely hear him yelling at someone in the background and- "I already sent you the address, see you there. Bye bye~"

"Metta-!"

*click

You deflate at the beep and let out a frustrated moan. You got tricked again. When he wanted something, Mettaton was the sort of guy to stop at nothing to get it, coming up with the most sordid schemes. And you happen to be one of the regular collaterals. Actually, how you got along so well with such this... gorgeous, intense (there was simply no better way to describe him) monster was a mystery. Well, you knew why **you** liked him so much. While flashy and having an insufferable personality, Mettaton is a charismatic fellow with undeniably hot legs. His eccentricity offsets your chaotic neutrality and hanging out with him always managed to make your day. His boldness inspired you and, where your personality could waver from gloomy to dull indifference when left alone, the sexy giant had a knack for pushing your buttons, for the best and the worst. Probably the reason why you gave up blocking his number after the first time he woke you up at three in the morning to watch his brand new perfume ad. 

And you probably would have done it if he hadn't literally stalked you for a week beforehand to keep in touch. It was your first meeting and if you remember well, he had tried to go incognito to a theatre performance where you had been offered an extra role. You still cringe as you recall his black raincoat, hat and sunglasses. All the performers as well as the audience had their eyes glued to him - either because his costume didn't fool anyone, or because he looked so incredibly suspicious, but he had merely watched the play in silence. At the end, he came to talk to the cast, "revealing" his identity in a manner worthy of a cartoon villain.

_'Okay, that aside, it was actually kind of cool.'_ You concede fondly. Your phone vibrates and you quickly look up the address.

You leave the bathroom in much better shape than when you woke up. You take advantage of this flash of energy to wander down the hallway and into the shop.

You don't see Gerson anywhere and conclude that he must also be out for a walk. Scribbling a message to inform him that you are going out, you put it on his paperwork, grab your purse and lock the door with the double he gave you the day before.

_Off to meet M._

_Thanks for ratting me out._

_Love. See ya later_

  
  


***

  
  


**Frisky:** Wait, you know Mettaton?? 

**Me** : Guess I do, yes. Any idea what he's up to during the festival? Love the guy but I'd rather not be there if he's planning anything too... great

**Frisky** : !! 

**Frisky:** Did he invite you to the rehearsals? 

**Frisky:** Wait. No, it’s a surprise. You'll be fine 

**Me** : What rehearsals? 

**Me:** Frisk

**Me:** Don't ignore me

**Me** : Why are you doing this to me?

You stare critically at your phone screen, ready to pester the brat until they spill the beans, but ultimately decide to let them have their little fun. No point in trying to guess what the robot had in mind, it would be below reality anyway. 

_'OK.'_ you think bitterly, the memory of your last encounter coming back to you. A week spent finding glitter in your pockets and your hair from an impromptu dance battle at a cafe. Obviously, you lost and althought it was admittedly worth it -you'd rarely danced with such passion before- it was way too soon to have a rematch. _'But if I see any glitter, I'm out.'_

You put your phone in your pocket and start humming along to one of Mettaton's songs. You don't remember the lyrics, but the robot had a talent for creating catchy tunes. 

You're still having fun imagining what the underground stars has imagined for an occasion like this when suddenly, an incredibly loud voice rises up from the crowd and startles you. The melody dies in your mouth and you almost stumble. 

A cold sweat runs down your temple, your body stiffens while your vision blurs, the world fading around you for a good minute. 

Your mind goes blank and you stare dazedly at the ground at your feet, unable to articulate a coherent thought because of the ringing in your ears. Your breathing picks up and you feel a weight forming in your chest. 

_'Panic attack?'_ You reason without being able to quite snap out of it. 

You thought you had grown more comfortable with this kind of sound. You had barely jumped at the supermarket the day before! 

But that noise. 

Voice? 

'...' Too sudden, too loud. 

But different. 

Even in shock, you can tell it's different from your usual fits. Your mind is much sharper than usual and you don't feel dizzy, just a strange feeling that numbs your body and makes your soul tremble. For the span of a moment it is as if you were underwater, the echo of your soul the only sound you can perceive. 

Your soul? 

You hear a voice near you and feel something gently squeezing your shoulder. 

You... You think it's the same voice but lower. You can't recognize the words, but you recognize the worry in its tonality. 

  
  


Mechanically, you look up and meet the old man's eyes... 

No. 

You squint, chasing away the image that your shaken mind had superimposed on reality. 

Not him.

A skeleton... 

  
  


A very tall, very worried looking skeleton. 

"Little Human, As Much As I Would Like To Think My Greatness Has Made You Speechless, You Don't Look So Good." The skeleton frets in a low gentle voice, his empty orbits vibrant with worry. 

You stare at them absent-mindely, trying to process what he (?) had just said without much success. 'Skeleton...'

While your brain is rebooting, your eyes aren't so discreetly scrutinizing the Monster in front of you.

They were bent over to better examine your face, but you could tell that they must have been more than six feet tall, surely more. They were slim, much thinner than a human skeleton and you couldn't keep your eyes off their outfit. A sort of white armor (?) that covered most of their torso, red gloves and a sort of black body suit. You had to examine his skull to remind yourself that it was a skeleton and not some cute cartoon cutout. 

'I'm fine...' You sign carefully, letting go of your necklace. 

You blink twice and it's as if you suddenly have your whole head again, a shiver running down your spine as the last reminder of what just happened. 

The first thing you see is red. A scarf, you realize. The skeleton slowly straightens up, probably relieved by your answer, and the first thing that comes to mind when you see the wind twirling the fabric around his neck is how cool he looks. 

_'I like his scarf. He looks like a hero...'_

"Nyeh, Thank You, Little Human! "He swells his chest (How...?) and poses proudly, a big smile has replaced his nervous frown, and for some reason, it feels right.

… 

Wait

What? 

Did you just say that out loud? What did... 

_'You're super tall! '_ You try again, forcing yourself to formulate a complete sentence in your head. 

… 

No answer. The giant just keeps staring kindly at you and you decide that you must have been mumbling without paying attention. 

"Still Daydreaming, I See! Is There Something On My Skull? I Believe You Have Been Staring At Me For A While Now ..." He asks, his cheekbones glowing a shy orange. 

That... 

That was adorable... 

...'I was just thinking how cool you looked.' You provide, this time by signing, smiling shyly for some unknown reason. You don't say anything more, you must have already looked like a lunatic at this point. No need to scare off the poor fella. 

The compliment surprises him if you take the little Nyeheheh that escapes him and, you have to physically hold back from cooing at him, covering your growing smile with your hand. 

You don't know if it is your inner child talking or if he is just very charismatic but it's with starry eyes and a broad smile on your lips that you marvel at the big ball of sunshine posing in front of you. 

"You Have A Great Deal Of Taste! As Expected From A Fellow Mettaton Fan!" 

Oh 'You heard that?' Your answer is a tad shy. He must be really sharp if he heard you from so far away.

"I Sure Did! And May I Say, You Have A Very Lovely Voice!" Oh... "Of Course, It Can't Rival The Original, But You Are Definitely A Close Second Place." 

Eheh, 'Never heard that one before. Thank you !' You grin, the boldness of the statement taking you by surprise. 'You must like Mettaton a lot.' 

His eyes -err...- light up and he strikes a new pose - one you swear you've seen on Metta's last show - and you refrain from posing with him. 

" Where Are My Manners !? I Didn't Even Introduce Myself !" He somehow clears his throat and you can't describe how much the action throws you off guard." I'm The Great Papyrus, Former Member Of The Royal Guard and Number One Fan Of Mettaton!" 

Your cheeks are really going to hurt from all that smiling, so you try to calm down and tell him your name, offering your hand, 'Nice to meet you, Papyrus.'

To your surprise, he doesn't just grab your hand but drags you into an embrace that, because of his size, takes you off the ground. You gasp and kind of freeze. 

Okay, maybe a little too tactile. That was... new.

Your whole body stiffens, unaccustomed to such sudden and foreign-initiated contact, but as soon as you realize what's going on you're already down again. 

'So, you're a fan too?'. Well, from what you heard, all the Monsters were more or less fans of the singer. 'I heard Mettaton has a show scheduled during the festival. You're here to watch it too?'. 

He perks up "YES, I- " He pauses, looking guilty, and then resumes much more softly. "I Mean, Yes, I Heard From Very Reliable Sources That He Was Preparing A Play!" He ends up lowering his voice again, as if telling you a secret of the utmost importance. Well, knowing Metta's popularity, it might have been the case. 

'A play?' You raise an eyebrow. You pull out your phone, scrolling to find the address. 'There we go...'. You hand the phone to Papyrus, a puzzled expression on his skull. 'Speaking of, sorry to bother you, but do you know this place?' 

You feel bad for making him squat like that but he doesn't seem to mind so you let him. He looks thoughtful, rubbing his chin with his gloved hand. 

"Yes ! This Is the Address Of The MTT Theater!" He exclaims, beaming. "Oh! Are You Trying To Attend The Rehearsals?? I Admire Your Eagerness, Human ! Unfortunately, I'm Afraid That They Are Not Open To The Public." He's practically whispering, looking way more distraught by this information than you. Aw, had he tried to go earlier? 

'It's okay, I know someone there! ' You give him a thumb up. 'Thanks for the information. I'm gonna go n-... Do you want to... come too... Maybe?'

The words slip out before you know it. The friendly skeleton looked absolutely devastated when you had started to turn back. That... wasn't a reaction you were used to. Usually, you'd keep your distance from people, and people would do the same. You could initiate a pleasant chat, but not many people decided to just... tag along. 

  
  
  


You level him with a curious look, amused but confused by the way his face goes from shock to utter delight. 

He just nods enthusiastically. "It Would Be My Pleasure To Escort You To Your Destination, Dear Human! It Will Be Like... A Secret Mission??" 

  
  
  


So, having a cute skeleton in armour as your sidekick wasn't exactly part of today’s plan, but here you are, running down the streets of Ebott trying to keep up with Papyrus. He had such long legs, you had to stride so you wouldn't lose him. Plus, you're pretty sure he had decided not to follow the map instead chosing to take the scenic route... 

You had a bit of trouble keeping up, but in the end it was a lot of fun wandering the streets with him and the discussion went on naturally. It's been a long time since you've had such a long exchange with someone. That and your reunion with other friends, you felt like you were growing wings. 

It felt nice

It felt... 

'By the way, what were you doing earlier? I hope I didn't interrupt anything.' You ask him at some point, discreetly trying to slow down. Despite the detours, he seems to know where to go, and walks with confidence, so you are content to just follow him.

"Fear Not, Little Human, For I Am A Master Of Time Management! And Any Activity Involving The Underground Star Is My Priority!" You chuckle at the passion in his eyesocket. Okay, you weren't going to question that. "Furthermore, It Is My Duty To Help Anyone Who Needs Assistance! " 

You don't miss the look in his eyes. Aha, touché. 'Assistance?I wasn’t lost. No, I was just...' You'd probably look more convincing if he didn't have to stop you when you were starting to go down the wrong street while saying that. ... 'Exploring! This beautiful city. Yep. That's what I was doing.' 

You never thought you'd see the day when you'd get someone to give you such a deadpan look. Wow, you really felt like a kid right now.

"There Is No Need To Be Ashamed, Tiny Human ! But, By Any Chance, Are You A Tourist?" He tilts his head, appearing suddenly really interested. 

"You're not?" You reply right away. You knew that even after a year, a vast majority of the monsters still lived in and around Ebott. You just hadn't seen any skeleton monsters so far so you just assumed he was also visiting. Well, now that you think about it, he seemed to know his way around Ebbot, more than you at least.

"No, I Am Not ! Actually, I Live Here With My Brother Sans And... Relatives? "He pauses, examining your reaction." This Lazybone Won't Go Out To See How The Preparations Are Progressing, So I Took On Myself To Do It instead!" He's drawn his phone and spent the next five minutes showing you a series of photos of himself posing next to different stands or being chased by a little white dog. (Sounds like a sensitive subject.) 

'Looks like you've had a rough day...morning.' You give him a sympathetic smile. He may have more energy to spend in a day than you in a year, but he looked genuinely upset by the situation. Not about having to do the job (you were pretty sure he actually enjoyed it a lot) but about his brother not doing it. Maybe ? 'I'm sure your brother will appreciate the effort.' 

"Nyohohoh, knowing This Numbskull, He'll Find A Way To Make A Big Joke Out Of It. Actually, I'm Sure He's Napping Somewhere As We Are Talking.I Can't Believe He Claims To Be Tired When All He Does Is Being Lazy All Day..." He complains with an accusing look on his face. “Speaking Of, Little Human, It May Not Be My Place To Say That, But You Don't Look So Good Yourself." He observes seeing how you're getting slower by the minute. "Are You Alright?"

Between two breaths, you just manage to sign. 'No, I'm okay. 'm just out of shape.' And in a way, that's true, but it doesn't stop you from feeling your lungs burning. Luckily, you can already see the building you were looking for. The neon sign and posters were big give away. 'We got there in record time! Good job, partner!' You initiate a high-five, your cheeks flushed from the effort. He just look at your raised hand with an undescribable look before gently clapping it. Almost thought he'd leave you hanging there.

"Nyehehe, Of Course! The Great Papyrus Is A Skilled Athlete And The Ideal Partner In Many Situations! "His cheekbones turn a warm tinge of orange and you give him a friendly nudge. 

'Right! Now to the actual mission.' You approach the entrance and his expression darken under a veil of apprehension. Meeting your idol would do that to you, right, right... 'You don't have to be nervous, I'm here.' You gently rub his back (his armour anyway), trying to be comforting. 'Raise your head and don't hold back your voice. Be confident!'

  
  


You expected to see a lot of people when you entered the building, but not that many. Costumers and lighting technicians carrying large boxes, groups of teenagers and seniors practicing near the back walls and receptionists trying to keep up with the different calls. The hall may be large, but the general bustle makes it as noisy as it is crowded. 

And the interior design... 

Let's just say Mettaton had definitely been there. 

Grabbing Papyrus by the hand (appreciating the softness of his gloves), you guide your duo through the crowd without being noticed, making a face when you spot cameras hidden in the smallest pieces of furniture (you stare at a particular plant longer than you're willing to admit) and arrive in a long corridor of doors. 

'I didn't think it would be so crowded, sorry...' You apologize and stop when you feel him shaking, his smile more dazzling than ever. Wow, where were your sunglasses when you needed them? '... Okay. Well, now that we're here, all we have to do is locate the target. Which shouldn't be a problem knowing the man.'

"Oh, That's Right! You Said You Knew Somebody Here! Is This The Person We're Looking For?? The mysterious informant?" 

Ehehe, 'Oh, you'll definitely recognize him when you see him! Just keep an eye ou-okay nevermind.' 

As you explained, you had opened the first door in front of you and almost immediately closed it again when you spotted none other than Mettaton, in all his glory, humanoid form and all, lying sensually in the middle of the rehearsal room's stage, a crowd of young monsters and humans around him. 

… _'What was that?_ '

**"Darling!** " 

A smooth voice calls out from ahead of you and your reaction time is too slow, the robot now dangerously approaching your duo, after waving to the actors to continue their exercise. Arms wide opened, an unsaid threat in his smile : 'Don't.you. dare. run. away'

'Hello Mettaton' You can feel the confusion rolling off Papyrus but your priority is to deal with the robot coming dangerously close to you.

"You're late, darling." He points out to you as soon as he's close enough. 'I did my best.' You try to defend yourself, under the skeptical gaze of the robot. "Oh, I'm sure you did..." He comments, critically examining your evasive gaze. "But, where are my manners? Could it be a new recruit that you’ve brought me here?" He asks, apparently not in the mood to get on your case for now. He turns to the tall skeleton half-hidden behind the door, who stiffens as soon as he meets Mettaton's eyes. 

You squeeze his hand a little tighter to reassure him. You didn't plan to introduce them like that, but... 

'Yes! He's called Papyrus, former recruit of the Royal Guard and...' 

You pause for dramatic, then hang yourself to the skeleton's arm, hand over your heart. If there was one thing that always appealed to the robot, it was drama and gossip. '...my hero?' You innocently flutter your eyelashes, hiding a smile when Mettaton raises an inquisitive eyebrow. You don't notice how the eyes of the giant sweetheart you're leaning on light up at your commentary. 

"Oh my! How interesting. Darling, I'm dying to know how you met our precious mascot." He replies, his cheerful tone contrasting with the sly smile he throws at you. You pause. 

Mascot? 

_'Mascot?'_

You raise your head to stare at Papyrus, who tilts his head to look at you too. You squint your eyes and scrunch your nose. 

The Mascot of Monsters? Wait a minute... 

'You are?' 

He nods. 

You blink. Twice. The skeleton mimics you and you snicker before slowly detaching yourself from him. 

'Well, your mascot is a real gentle-skeleton...? He walked me here and kept me company. I wanted to thank him, so I thought I'd let him visit the theater, uh... ' Better not tell him directly that you knew he was preparing a play. Mettaton liked his dramatic effect and you weren't about to take that away from him. You point out the group of comedians who aren't so discreetly spying on you from the stage. 'You... you're giving a class? Or rehearsing something maybe? You mind if we join the session? He also happens to be a greaaaat fan of yours.' You add. Apparently that's the magic word because Metta's face brightens. 

"My, of course I know that, my darling. Papyrus is an absolute sweetheart and a fervent fan." He purrs and you smile when you see the emotion on Papyrus' face, which had been stuck there the whole time. Speechless or just awestruck, eheh, good for him! "It's unconventional to accept this kind of request, but for you, my dear, I'll make an exception." He blows you a kiss and you wink back. "Why don't you go and settle down somewhere while I break the news to the others, hm?" 

And just like that, Metta grabs a very flushed Papyrus by the scarf and drags him on stage. 

Oh, he was even letting him participate? Aw, Metta was always so good to his fans. 

You follow them at your own pace and get in the first seat on your right when Mettaton starts talking to the others. Third row closest to the stage, behind the seat where you clearly recognized your friend's belongings. .

You put down your things and finally sit down on the seat. Comfortable. 

_'It's been a while since I've been in a theatre. Maybe I should ask Metta for invitations for his performance... Hm, and one for Papyrus too...'_ You ponder as you watch Mettaton, standing in the middle of the stage, surrounded by all the comedians and Papyrus. Man, those two were so big compared to other Humans. Even other Monsters. You don't think you've ever met ones that massive, actually. Perhaps the king and queen? Oh, but they were special cases, weren't they? Gerson told you about them, once. Monsters... Boss, right? 

  
  


_'Not sure it's related. Oh, well...'_

With your elbow on the armrest of your seat, you rest your head in your hand, eyes closed, enjoying this moment of peace to recharge your batteries. No matter how much you enjoyed the company of people, the last few days had been taxing. 

'Leaving your fans so soon?' You jest when you open your eyes again, finding a rather amused Mettaton looming over you. 

"You look terrible." He peers at you intently and you reply with a tired smile 'Gee, thanks. You look gorgeous, as always.' He seems amused by your antics but only sighs dramatically before sitting on the back of his seat, facing you. "You would as well if you'd listen to my advice, darling. My stars, did you even sleep? You look exhausted." 

'I'm fine. Had a good rest and a certain skeleton even had me do my workout for the day.' You thought you'd die at least twice between the time he told you about his passion for spaghetti and the time he suggested you join him on his morning jogs but you weren’t about to admit it. You take a fake solemn expression. 'Treat him right, he's my partner in crime and life-saver, you know?'. 

He levels you with a unimpressed look to which you respond with a mischievous smile and a shrug. 

"Seriously though, don't worry about me.' You’re done with the subject. and if he has something to add, he merely frowns. 'Don't keep your students waiting, Metta, I'll be here.' 

"I'm not done with you yet, young lady." He warns, getting up. Immediately, his energy is back and with his usual enthusiasm he leaves. 

The next minute he's back on stage and you start to zone out. Your mind wanders from place to place, your gaze still on the stage where the whole crew is restless, but you're not quite there.

_'Didn't expect it to happen so soon.'_

Your soul feels heavier than usual, you can almost feel it withering in your chest. It's something you had to deal with from time to time so it didn't bother you as much anymore, still, it was a nasty feeling. You hold back a groan and run your hand through your hair, grabbing with the other your pendant and holding it close to your chest. 

_That's okay_

***Knowing that you've come so far, you find the strength to hold on.**

***It fills you with PERSEVERANCE.**

"Miss Y/N ?"

You hear Papyrus gently calling your name and you look up. You already feel much better but the distraction is still welcomed. And what a distraction. You didn't acknowledge it because you were so on edge, but strangely enough, whether it was his presence or his voice, Papyrus had a soothing effect on you. As if you were basking in gentle sunlight. 

"Y/N?" He's glowing and you let him know you're listening when he gets close enough to loom over your seat. "I Have To Give You For Bringing Me Here! Mettaton Is Always So Busy, I Didn't Think I'd Be Able To See Him Before The End Of The Festival!" Right, they do know each other...

"Of Course, The Other Actors Are No Match For My Acting Skills, But, Overall, It's Been An Enriching Experience!" He puts his hands on his hips, looking pretty confident for an amateur. But you'd rather die than rain on his little parade so you just give him a thumb up, your grin matching his. "So, I Was Wondering If, um" He takes a deep breath and your brows furrows, searching his expression for any trace of distress. "ARE YOU GOING TO PERFORM TOO !??" He shouts, his voice booming like the first time you heard it. Your eyes shot open in surprise and you feel your mouth hang open, from shock or confusion you're not sure but not it’s not panic this time. 

"Mettaton Said You Were Also An Actor!." He quickly adds when he sees your dumbfounded expression. "And, As A Potential Future Friend, I See No More Perfect Opportunity To Bond! 

'No.' You're categorical. Mettaton and his big mouth... You feel bad doing that to Papyrus, he really looked like he wanted you into the group... 'But I might reconsider, for you, Papy. If you ask me nicely~' You smile sweetly, hoping he'd stop giving you the puppy-eye with a distraction. His skull turns red and you allow yourself to wink. He stutters an answers something that sounds more or less like "I-I-I CAN-" but you decide to spare him and direct his attention to the scene where Mettaton is staring at the both of you without any shame. On the contrary, he seems absolutely elated. Guess you never had the choice here. 'Don't worry Papyrus, I owe Mettaton a favor. He probably won't let me go until I join anyway. And I’d love to spend some time with you. You’re cool and funny.' You say, matter of factly.

Deciding you'd rather be anywhere than sit in that seat for another second, you stand up and take off your jacket, resting your notebook on the seat without noticing the way Papyrus glance at it. You feel more comfortable without your jacket, your black shirt allowing you to move more freely. You close the notebook and put it away with the rest of your things before heading to the stage, followed closely by a silent Papyrus.

  
  
  


'Spying isn't a nice hobby, Metta.' You warn the robot, raising an eyebrow when you catch the annoying smug smile on his face.

"Only if the information falls into the wrong hands, my dear ~" He replies, clearly not embarrassed by his behaviour. "Well, darling, I'd like to introduce you to my wonderful cast of actors. My loves, this is Y/N, don't let her sickly complexion fool you, she's a human with whom I had the pleasure of collaborating on my last tour ~"

Used to the robot's snarky remarks, you only feel a little flattered by the compliment about your work. 'Nice to meet you all.'

The troop is made up of about ten people, monsters and humans alike, and you are delighted to see such a nice combination. The monsters return your greeting and present themselves shyly while the humans exchange confused glances with each other.

Ah, that's right.

You're about to address the problem at Mettaton when Papyrus speaks up, having recovered from whatever had made him go silent.

"Miss Y/N said she's delighted to make your acquaintance!" He looks proud of himself and you laugh good-heartedly, giving a thumb up to the group to confirm his translation.

"Now, aren't you a lovely pair?" Mettaton coos fairly loudly. Papyrus beams at him. "I forgot that not all humans are familiar with sign language. Papy, darling, could you serve as an interpreter for this session? Y/N, I'd like you to oversee the session, my recruits need to be taught the basics" He sighs and, seeing the awkward looks on the ‘actors' faces, you assume they were more like "volunteers" that the robot had dragged here more than real comedians... Something like that anyway.

'...First, let's all introduce ourselves.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here o/
> 
> Chapter 4 was reaaaally long (like 25p+ long or something) so I had to cut in half  
> So, yeah, meet our favorite UT!Papyrus ! He's a sweet boy and Reader kinda likes him already.  
> (Btw, just so you know, I'll probably write some "the boys pov" chapters later in the story, so be ready !)
> 
> Hm, also, recently I've wondering if I should write shorter chapters so I can post more often/they are easier to read etc but I cant seem to make the story progress unless I make it long ugh... What do you think? I guess I'll stick to longer chapters for now (the time all the caracters are introduced at least) and maybe move on to shorter ones after a while/or once in a while. There, just wanted to share with you some of my thoughts c:
> 
> Hope you'll like this chapter, anyway ! Thanks for the kudos, comments (i love those <3) and taking the time to come by and read my work. 
> 
> And because I Iike comments and the interaction between my fellow readers/writers, here are some questions for you:  
> Who do you think will be the next skeli introduced ?  
> Which AU would you like to see ? I already have a number set but who knows, fufu
> 
> See ya!


	5. Help Wanted (part II)

"You there, Emily darling, move those legs a little ! "

'Metta, I swear...' Deep breath... 'Look, I know how you feel about my ways, but _**just leave them alone**._' You warn for the third time the robot who had only managed to hold still for 10 minutes. A record. He wraps his long arms around your shoulders and presses his cheek to yours.

"Make it faster." He whispers in your ear -there goes the goosebumps- but you pay no attention to him, your gaze on Charles and Mina, a human-cat monster duo that you had asked to do the mirror exercise about ten minutes ago. And that's basically what you've spent the last hour doing: providing practice tips, and exercices while running after Mettaton to console the victims of his "advice".

'I'm trying!' You stress. You were starting to remember why he more often than not played himself all the roles in his movies. No one could meet all his standards.

It was unusual enough that the killing machine asked you to lead a rehearsal, but the fact that he hadn't yet drawn a chainsaw or forced his trainees to try hazardous acrobatics as a warm-up was even more unsettling. So, either he had really decided to stage a "family friendly" show, or he was up to something bigger and didn't want to scare them away... you were inclined to go for the second option.

  
  


'Why are you using an actual cast this time, anyway? It never bothered you to do it yourself.' You comment off-handedly, hoping that he would be distracted long enough for you to finish taking care of the group. If he was going to take over their training afterwards, you could at least try to buy them some time. 

"Stars need to reinvent themselves, darling. And as tempting as the idea may be, it's only natural that I use a few extras during the festival that celebrates the friendship of our two kinds~" You decide not to question his poor choice of word for the humans and monsters doing their best to satisfy him. At least, he understood the essence of the event, more or less 

As long as you aren't a part of it...

...'Wait.' You turn your head slightly to face Mettaton, his mischievous smile did not bode well for the future. "I'm not participating, okay?'

He giggles and you give him an interrogative look. "Not as an actress, no~" 

His answer doesn't reassure you at all and you let him know as much, making a face. 

'Hey, I don’t lik-' "I know!" He cries out, tightening the grip around your neck. Ughhh

You consider shouting at everyone to run away before the robot exposes his new "brilliant" idea, but quickly dismiss the idea. Firstly because he's knocked your breath away and you’re not sure if you can get a sound out, and secondly because freaking out would only encourage him. **'...What?'** You ask under your breath. You signal the group not to worry when you see them startle and wave to Papyrus when he turns in your direction, completely unaware of the upcoming tragedy. He smiles and starts waving back at you before going back to whatever he was doing. Visibly... cheering everyone on. Aw... 

Metta's devious grin gives you the creeps, but you don't have the chance to break free from his iron grip in time and he literally starts dragging you across the stage, towards the center of it. "Why don't you show them how a professional do it?" 

**"Mettaton!"** You hiss his name, actually upset, and it has the merit of getting his attention. 

"Darling, it's been such a long time since I've heard your pretty voice!" He coos and pinches your cheeks. "You should hydrate more though, it is a bit hoarse." You grunt, unable to interrupt his monologue while he keeps dragging you around. "You can even give them some enunciation pointers now~ How exciting!"

"Do I have to?" You whine, giving up your struggle, physically at least. Mettaton was a performer, of course he'd find a way to spice things up when nobody asked for it. Objectively, you had nothing against giving him a hand, it cost you nothing, but you weren't really keen on using the method he obviously had in mind. "Can't you do it?"

You don't need to elaborate any further, a thoughtful humming letting you know that he heard you and was considering your point.

"Of course I could~ And believe me, that would be grandiose. But I'm dying to see you on stage again. It's been so long, and you are the only one I can trust for this. You know how to get their souls singing, and that's exactly what this set needs. "He states and you frown. "Metta, I’m not in-"

Cue the dramatic pause. Still holding you under his arm like an old bag, his head held high but his gaze directed at you . "I'll make it up to you."

..."Alright." You agree and sight in defeat. You learned early on to jump at the occasion when the star of the Underground offered this kind of deal. They were rare, but could save you a lot of pain. Free hotel rooms, video censorship, or assurance that you would not be involved in his next fucked-up setup: it was always worth it. “But I’m doing this my way.”

"A wise choice, dear." He whispers low enough so only you can hear him when you finally get under the stage lights. 

Louder, he gathers the others and makes an announcement: "Stars, that won't do. I can't even tell if you're all acting or just standing there! I want to see more passion! Blood! Tears!" Many humans stare blankly at the passion of his speech, while the Monsters seem to vibrate with enthusiasm. "That's why I asked our lovely guest to loosen you up a bit! Do whatever she says and pay attention~." 

As you scan the assembly, you meet Papyrus's gaze, who seems eager to see you at work, or to fulfil his role as your interpreter, you are not sure. With a gesture of the head, you let him know that you are handling the situation just fine. 

After a few more seconds of contemplation, you gesture to three fellows to step closer: Mary, a rabbit monster in overalls; Luke, a teenager with big hazelnut eyes, and Joy, a 30-year-old lady with a frank smile. The trio moves forward, looking puzzled, and you smile to reassure them. They look soothed but it's only for a short time, a sort of live jingle echoing on stage.

"Congratulations gentlebeauties, you have been selected by our guest to participate in our demonstration~! For practical purposes, this demonstration will be done in the form of encounter!" All the monsters present make a little noise of surprise while the humans, clearly not knowing what to do with this information, step back. "Don't worry if it's your first time, Y/N is an expert~ Make the most of this exchange, it's a unique experience ~!" 

While Mettaton finishes explaining the details of the session to them, you take one step closer to the trio and focus on the area around their chests. Your breathing slows down, as does your heartbeat, and your eyes zero in on the glow that escapes from their bodies. Three lights. With a smooth hand motion, you drag them out, not without leaving the three actors breathless in the process. 

They don't get to question it as the environment around them suddenly turns to black and white. 

  
  


**_* Outsider Y/N wants to show you the ropes._ **

The three companions are visibly confused, but Mary, the monster, takes over and explains the situation her two companions. The little yellow cartoonish heart that adorns Joy's chest thrills with excitement whereas Luke's soul, a small pale blue heart, quivers in fear. 

Taking pity on them, you draw their attention to the interaction box. 

_*I've pulled you into a friendly encounter. It might be confusing if that's your first time, sorry. But with your souls out in the open like this, you'll be much more spontaneous and you'll learn faster so please bear with me.'_

You give them a few more minutes to discuss it, but your explanation seems to have put their minds at ease. 

*Excuse me?' A female voice calls out to you and you focus on the white heart facing you. *Um, did you initiate the encounter?' The rabbit asks hesitantly. You nod with nonchalance. *But, I don't see...' Her words trail off as she obviously looks puzzled by something. Well, you weren't about to give her the time to look too much into it.

* _Don't worry, it's just like a normal encounter.'_ You address it directly to the cartoonish heart displayed in front of her chest, which seems receptive to the reassuring answers. 

*What are we supposed to do?" Surprisingly, it’s Luke who cautiously draws your attention to change the subject. 

_* Now, you listen to me…'_

  
  


***

**_*Correct_ **

_*Mary, you're too stiff. Relax your shoulders '_

**_*Correct_ **

_*Luke, look at your partner in the eyes.'_

**_*Correct_ **

_*Joy straighten up!’_

**_*Correct_ **

* _It's not about being confident, but giving the impression that you are.’_

  
  


You give them a bunch of general and more personal advices, and, bit by bit, they manage to correct their stance under your watchful eye. It's far from perfect but at least they seem to be more at ease with their body, which allows them to focus more on their text and speech.

* _Whether on stage or in your everyday life, it all comes down to body attitude. That's what betrays us in most cases. The angle of your feet, the direction of your gaze, your flow of speech and even your breathing, a mere twitch is enough to betray your state of mind and your intentions. But learn to control them and they become a weapon. Without even having to speak, you can be anything you want. Simple.'_

You don't expect them to use their turn to ask you for a demonstration though. Reluctantly, you start by facing Luke. 

_*Alright so, by adjusting a bit your stance, you can pass for someone very confident.'_ You approach the boy, your posture similar to the one you had the day before, in front of the hot-headed client. Your body upright, arms crossed but your head held high, a bold, frank look on your face which becomes more amused when you think of a certain skeleton who had a lot of confidence to spare. Maybe you should use him as a reference from now on? 

You boop his nose and he gasps when you walk off with a apologetic smile. 

_* Or...'_

You approach Joy, with slow, measured steps. Your expression is set in a cold frown, an impassive demeanor announcing an underlying threat. You square your shoulders to appear bigger and assertive. Your fingers not quite clenched but twitchy. A single threatening step towards the woman is enough to suggest the threat.

You see the yellow heart quiver and send out potent warning signals. Okay, maybe you put a little too much intent into this one. That was one of the risk during friendly encounters, every intention and emotion were magnified tenfold. Convenient for coaxing people to open up, a tad too intense for the non-initiated. Or people you didn’t held friendly thoughts for.. 

Only when the woman takes a step backwards, you let the mask drop and return to your usual mimics.

_* You can also be intimidating with a little practice.'_ You finish on a lighter note.

_* Mettaton is an excellent teacher. You should be able to do the same in no time.'_ You gesture at Mettaton, as he actively swells his chest in pride. _* I'm not really a teacher, but I'd say you just have to be observant. You can use a person as a reference for an emotion, or you can use your own experience to put yourself in the right mindset. Your body will follow. As I said, it's all about intent. Monsters are more familiar with this concept, but with your souls out in the open like this, I think you get the idea. Again, I'm sorry if that was a little too intense.'_ You apologize before sparing them, letting their souls escape your grasp to regain their bodies. 

The world around you barely has time to recover its colours that a long metallic arm curls around your shoulders and hurls you onto Mettaton who couldn't look more hyped.

"Precisely~! I want you to play with your words and your body~ A real soul-to-soul live, that's what the audience wants!" It goes on like this for several minutes, but you lose the thread when Papyrus comes closer to you, stars in his big sockets.

"Wowie! It Was Amazing! I Never Knew That Humans Could Initiate Encounters!?" _~~Because they can't~~. _You smile a little at the compliment. 'Thanks Papyrus! It's "Ugh!" Mettaton jerks the arm around your neck and you're pretty sure you see stars for a seconds.

"We're not done yet, though! Our little human guest will also show us an example of improvisation!~."

_What?_ 'What?' You sign, bemused, your neck twisted in a awkward angle so you can see the monster.

"The theme: love, of course!!"

'Metta-'

"A burning, passionate love, vexed by fate!

'I'm not sure th-'

"Lights! Camera! Action!

'What the hell?"

"Drama! Romance! Bloodshed!"

'You're not even making se-!'

"Now, who will be the partner of our lovely human~?" He pretends to ponder his choice and your frustration grows. "Papy, do you feel up for the challenge?"

You raise your hands to your face, scowling. 'Aw come on !' You grumble instead of outwardly yelling like you almost wanted to, but settle staring intently at Papyrus. Maybe you could try telepathy and ask him to just say no.

"The Great Papyrus Never Backs Down From A Challenge!" He answers ever so proudly and you feel like moaning seeing the poor cinnamon being dragged into this.

'Look, Papyrus, you don't need to- okay, I get it...I get it!' You give up as you see the hope and expectation growing in his eyes with every word. How could a skeleton give you the puppy eyes??

'I just need to improvise something?'. You confirm with your master (since you had apparently become his slave for the morning). 'Then I can go?'

"Impress me, darling~' You were really starting to think that he'd brought you here for his own amusement more than to ask you a real favor. Forget what you said about enjoying hanging out together, you'll have to spend the whole festival in bed if you don't leave in the next ten minutes."Then you'll be free~"

'That's getting ridiculous...' You frown 'He’s not even trying to be subtle about it anymore.' You seriously consider refusing but decide to entertain him one last time. You had a deal, if he wanted to waste his part on this, then it was his loss. 'I'm leaving after this.' You promise yourself, your expression devoid of emotion. 'Romance, hm? Metta likes drama and... complex, poorly written, cliché stories...'

You slowly approach your skeletal companion, apologizing in advance in your head. 

"...Papyrus." You whisper his name lovingly and in the most coy way you know, reaching out your arms gently as if to embrace him. 

In an instant, it's as if the skeleton has frozen. But you don't have the time to ask him if he's okay, having already taken advantage of the surprise effect to make him lose his balance and tip him over. He falls into your arms and, if the difference of size didn't already make the pose look awkward enough, it seemed as if it had come straight out of one of those soap opera Mettaton loved so much. You force your expression to remain serious in spite of the ridiculous situation. Mettaton had asked you to show off, but you never said you'd do it seriously. "Our mutual love for spaghetti, that radiant smile and charisma... You meet all my standards! This must be fate, will you marry me? "

The reaction is immediate, his skull turning a bright orange so fast you freeze, flaggerbusted. A confused laugh bubbles in you, but you inevitably turn red, your arms falling jerkly. 

  
  


A silent second passes...

  
  


"Papyrus... Stop blushing...!" you mentally beg the poor -adorable- skeleton. 

You're starting to worry that his jaw will drop from being gawking at you. 'Was it something I said?' You wonder, frantic. 'I thought it would make him laugh!' Or is it because of my voice? Maybe he thought I was actually mute? Mettaton didn't warn them, but I thought they'd be used to it, with Frisk as their ambassador...'

You clear your throat to fill the awkward silence.

"Papyrus?" You insist. You haven't been using the wrong name all this time, have you?

One more silence. Oooh, great, great. 

  
  


"Wo-Wowie!" Papyrus practically cries out.

Thinking he's finally recovered, you let him stand up and you raise your head, smiling, and he flashes you in turn a dazzling smile that makes you turn red with embarrassment. You soon feel yourself leaving the ground, long arms wrapping around your torso to twirl you around. You give a shout of surprise but start giggling when his line comes, chanted as confidently as you would expect from the cinnamon.

"Nyeheheh! Do not fear Dear Y/N! I, the great Papyrus, recruit of the Royal Guard and Self-Proclaimed Chief Shall Be At Your Side Forever, For You Also Happen To Meet All My Standards!"

"You promise?" You take advantage of the fact that he's now carrying you with one arm to lean your hand on his cheekbone. "And we'll be able to solve puzzles and cook spaghetti all day long? "You bat your eyelashes and he approves of your idea with a dreamy nyeh!" You giggle and can't help but glance at Mettaton here and there to see if he enjoys your shenanigans.

Well, judging by his perplexed expression, he must be torn between being annoyed by your antics or actually enjoying the show, eheh.

***

Fifteen minutes later, you're back in your seat, chastised by Mettaton who'd had enough of your childish behavior. Luckily, you had time to ask him a few questions before you were expelled. "What a party pooper." you snicker. It's a little chillier in the room so you put on your jacket. 

"Miss Y/N, Did You Have Fun?" A voice calls out to you and you lift your head. 

'Sure did. What about you, Papyrus? Had fun? ' You ask him, a little more cheerful now that he has joined you. 

"Yes! To Think That I Was Able To See Mettaton At Work And Attend His Rehearsals! With My New Human Friend, You ! I Just Knew Today Would Be A Great Day!" 

You had started walking towards the exit, Papyrus following you like a excited puppy, adjusting his speed to walk at your pace. You notice he sweats a little -really?- and hands him a tissue, which he accepts enthusiastically. 

"By The Way, Miss Y/N, Do You Plan To Participate In Any Other Activities During The Festival? Nyeh! Maybe You Run Your Own Stand!?" 

Hmm. 'I'm not sure about the plans.' You answer honestly. 'No booth here, I'm-' You stop abruptly and scrunch your eyebrows in thoughts. You didn't want to lie to Papyrus but you didn't really feel like making him unnecessarily curious about you. '... I'm just trying to enjoy the festival. Got any ideas of fun things to do?' 

"Why, Yes! As The Mascot And Ambassador Of The Monsters, I know All The Events That Take Place During The Festival! And Any Friends Of The Great Papyrus Deserve The Best Guide! We Could Go Together!" 

'Oh, I can't right now. I've got to meet a friend.' You keep an eye on the time. You were not to miss your meeting with Frisk. 

...Frisk? 

Oh! 

You miss the way Papyrus deflates and you grab his glove, suddenly giddy. 

'Oh, but you must know them! They're Frisk, the ambassador!' They were friends, weren't they? It was all over the papers in the weeks after the Monsters appeared: a human child, walking hand in hand with the Monster King and Queen and their faithful subjects. The fiery captain of the Royal Guard, the quiet Royal Scientist and two sentry brothers. Few pictures had circulated at the time, and you hadn't tried to find out more, but you think you read somewhere that it was a duo of skeletons. 

"Wowie, You Know Frisk!? Gasp-" Aw, did he really just do that? "They Are My Best Human Friend! And If You Know Them Too... That Means The Three Of Us Could Hang Out! Nyehehen, My Two Human Friends And The Great Papyrus!" 

The offer is innocent and you almost find yourself accepting without thinking. 

_But..._

  
  


"Eheh. Sure." 

He stops talking, staring down at you with evident interest and wonder. 

"Hey, Papyrus-" 

  
  
  
  
  


****

  
  


Me: On my way 

Frisky: Alright!

Frisky: You're up early! You were doing something? 

Me: yeah kinda

Me: funny story ahah

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. Remember when I said this chapter would arrive very soon ? Well obviously I didn't expect it to be a one-month-later kind of soon. Well, anywaaay, here it is, part II !
> 
> I hope the way I write isn't too confusing ? Especially the difference between 'sign' and "normal speech" ? 
> 
> So, yeah, I finished writing the next chapter (no promise about the release date eheh) and if I'm correct, we should meet a bunch of skelis by chapter 8 ! Hurray~
> 
> So, yeah, in the meantime, stay home, stay safe and see you next time (I'll probably edit this chapter for errors or whatever, don't mind me. I just wanted to post it quickly TT)


	6. You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet a creepy flower and have some serious talk.

'OK, so who are again…?' 

'His name's Flowey. MK and the others are busy so I took him with me. Do you mind?' 

...'No, it's okay.' You slowly shake your head, staring at the small golden Pot Flower your little friend is securely holding in their arms. 'Hi, kid, my name is-'

"I know who you are, you idiot! The moron because of whom I had to spend the whole day with Smiley Trashbag and his stupid gang !" The little flower snarls, teeth bared, and your eyes open wide. That… Frisk sure had made...interesting friends. 

'That’d be me, yeah.' You answer with a small, mischievous smile. 'Oh, we're going to get along great, Flowey. I can feel it... Frisk, can I hold him?' You ask and you have to refrain from laughing when Flowey turns livid and starts pleading / threatening Frisk not to hand him over to you. B _rat._

'Don't tease him too much.' They warn and hand you the pot, Flowey still struggling to push your face away with his leaves. ‘He's shy around strangers.’ 

"I AM **NOT** SHY!" 

***

Now, you were used to hanging out with Frisk, and you prided yourself on easily getting along with children, but being around Flowey turned out to be a... refreshing experience. 

After the introductions, your group had walked away from the embassy where you’d gathered, to a new destination that Frisk had chosen. A place they wanted to show you. They were in a better mood than the day before and you were happy to oblige and follow them, chatting with the two siblings on the way. 

As for Flowey, to put it simply, you could say that he hated your guts and made a point of showing it whenever he could, hissing at you and unsuccessfully trying to annoy you when he wasn’t straight out trying to smack you in the face. Not that the hatred was mutual, given the unhealthy pleasure you felt messing with him in turn. Be it treating him like a child or hugging him by force, there was something really satisfying about watching him go nuts when you got close to him with a malicious grin on your face. ‘Ah, kids…’, always so fun to pester. 

" **Stop touching me** , you buffoon!"

  
  


'Why are you so mean with me, Flowey ?' You raise your hand to your heart in fake woe, sigh, then flash him a mocking grin. 'I feel there's a real connection between us, if only you’d just accept it..'

" **Oh my stars!** ". He throws his leaves in the air in exasperation. "Frisk! Take me back before I kill her." 

You read disgust and distress on his face and Frisk extends their arms to take the pot back, saving their friend after fifteen minutes in your loving care. "Tsk" You click your tongue. 'We're not done...' You sign with a ominous gaze and Flowey visibly shivers. "So, where are we going?" You eventually ask the child in stripes. You didn’t really recognize the neighborhood. District 2 and 4 were off limits so maybe 3 ? 

The question makes them smile and they clumsily sign an answer, nearly spilling the pot several times over. The screams of the little flower ring in your ears, making it even harder for you to understand their answer.

'Easy, champ. You're going too fast for me. 'You point at a very dizzy looking Flowey 'Look, poor Flowey's looking a bit green there.' 

The remark earns you a flood of threats that you ignore to aggravate him, and lower yourself to Frisk's level for better focus. 

'District 3 is like a carnival this year! The preparations will be finished for the official inauguration in two days but they already have some stands ready.''

'Hm...' You whistle, genuinely impressed by the sheer size of the event. Ebott was still a small mountain town when you'd last stayed there, but now it's three times its original size, probably more actually. 'That actually sounds fun. I like carnivals. ' 

"Ah!" Flowey scoffs. "Suits a clown like you.."

'...Aw, Flowey...'' You coo, squinting at his fuming face. ‘Don't be jealous.' 

"I am not! Stop treating me like a goddamn brat." He yells and your smile twitches when you get a glance at his fangs. 

…’ Maybe I will when you stop acting like one.' You counter with a shrug and a very unimpressed look. Frisk watches your shenanigans with keen eye, slowly tilting their head to the side in thoughts. 'You get along well...'

'See, I told you- ', " **SHUT UP!** " 

Tge snarky comeback dies in your mouth when your group finally enter District 3, the whole main street turned into a sort of summer fair. The lights and confetti were even more vibrant than in District 1 where you had spent the night, surely to entertain the children. Balloons of all colours adorned the windows, as well as banners and cute mascots and cutouts. 

It seemed just like a smaller and less vibrant version of a fair you had once seen as a kid. There were rides, games, and the smell of fried foods wafting in the air, surrounding you. To be honest, it had you a bit excited, but not as much as Frisk, who looked ready to bolt and explore. When you try to pintpoint what has got their attention so quickly, you find their eyes glued on a batiment decorated with ghosts and pumpkin murals. A haunted house? 

'Do you want to go check it out?'. You ask them when they try to look away, looking as if it physically hurts them to do so. You glance at Flowey, still sulking in their arms, muttering death threats here and there. 

'Give me the flower and go do some scouting for us, OK?' 

"What!?" Flowey shouts, but he's already in your grip, Frisk having run off after giving you a mock military salute and the consign to wait somewhere they could easily spot you. 

'Hey, bud... Looks like you're stuck with me for a while.'

  
  


***

" **NO !** I'm not playing that, put me down! **Friiiisk**!!" 

'Alright, alright, no duck-fishing for you, I get it!' You finally give in, still amused by Flowey's desperate attempt to escape from you, but not enough to tease him further. "Come on bud, we're just going to sit down and wait for Frisk, stop pouting.' 

You take him to a cafe terrace, ignoring the way he completely freaks out and accuses you of making jokes (oh!). You delicately set his pot on the table and take a seat on the closest chair. A large parasol allows you to enjoy the shade and you can already see his body relaxing thanks to the light breeze passing through the avenue. 

You look at your watch. 14h50. You two could probably both use a drink. Well, at least he earned it by putting up with you. And you with him. You’d learned it the hard way, the only way to keep from getting run over by a brat like Flowey was to be even more insufferable. A Mettaton-kind of insufferable actually; _‘Be smart and kill them with unwanted affection’_.

A waiter walks up to your table and you give him a polite smile before you turn to Flowey. 

" So, what do you want to drink?" 

.

.

.

. 

He stays there, staring at you from the table with a dumbfounded expression. Hm...

"One juice and a glass of water for him, please." You pass the order to the waiter who leaves for the next table. 

"So you **can** talk…?" The Monster mutters and you raise an eyebrow.

"Never said I couldn't." Comes your voice, still a bit quite from being unused for a long time, but you already feel a lot more comfortable than the day before.

"Hee hee, I knew there was something weird about you..." The discovery appears to have hit him harder than you thought and he seems to be looking at you in a new light. Skeptical and definitely suspicious, but that's alright. 

"Um, I return the compliment."

He pauses, a look of realization falling on his face. "...Does Frisk know ?" He questions and his expression can only be described as wicked. 

_'Creepy flower...'_ , You wince, trying to eye him disinterestedly. "Of course. They just don't really care." The words flow easily and you enjoy the spontaneity of a casual discussion. "Mind you, I can speak properly. It just doesn't come to me as naturally as it used to..." For a brief moment, you find yourself daydreaming and fail to notice the way Flowey looks at you. What you do feel, however, his piercing gaze passing curiously from your chest to your face.

~~***CHECK** ~~

"Let me guess..." You start, tapping your finger on the wooden table. Your voice lowers, an new foundedge to it. 

"You have _a lot_ on your mind right now..."

_"Maybe you've got something to get off your chest?"_

_"Ah,"_ you squint at his chest, eyeing with curiosity the empty vessel in front of you, _"_ **_I guess not_ ** _."_

The Monster doesn't answer right away, an intense expression on his face, mix of horror and anguish. 

"Y-You-" " **Freak ?** " 

You didn't think it was possible, but his eyes open even wider and you snicker. A grim, humorless snigger that doesn't help to appease him. Actually, he looks down right freaked out.

~~***CHECK** ~~

"S-stop making that face." He finally stutters, then louder when he sees you hand stop tapping, "H-hey ! B-back off, y-you dumb giggling lunatic !" but his voice is shaky. 

_'Giggling lunatic ? Wow...'_ You snicker but the humor is back. "I didn't realise we were close enough to give each other nicknames." The comment brings him out of his stupor and he starts yelling with all the assurance and fury you’d grown accustomed to again. 

"Shut up, you maniac !" He roars, raging roots waving in every direction. "What's your deal!? " 

~~***CHECK** ~~

" **Stop doing that**." You squint at him and he immediately recoils, flabbergasted. "It's getting on my nerves."

_“I believe in curiosity, you know.”_

_"But you should ask_ _first."_

*** CHECK ?**

His gaze falls on your chest and you feel a shiver run through your body. Not much, a drop in the ocean, really, but that's enough to get your attention. Your smile drops as you try not to grit your teeth, the nasty sensation making your body ache. 

_**"So, what do you see ?"** _

.

.

.

"... Hee Hee." 

A short laughter of disbelief escapes him before all emotion you could have recognize in his expression disappear behind a hard mask of realization.

_"What..?"_

Your laughter died down a while ago, giving way only to a bored look. It wasn't ideal to reveal your identity like that, but it was faster. Furthermore, this way both of you could satisfy each other's curiosity. ' _Frisk has made some interesting friends...'_

Lassively, you wave him off. "Calm down, Frisk called me here." 

"Why!?" He snaps.

... "Ask them yourself." 

He deadpans hard, grunting and you roll your eyes at his antics. Eventually he breathes a long sigh before grudgingly mumbling what sounds like a "Yeah, whatever." When you stay quiet, he grinds his teeth, creepy smile back on his tiny face."I think I know what this is about... **Hee hee,** Frisk must be dumber than I thought if th-".

“ **Watch it.** ” You warn before he’s too far gone in his rant, but continue in a lighter tone. "Aaah, you really need to stop insulting and threatening everyone around you. It's a bad habit." You notice in the corner of your vision the waiter returning with your drinks. You thank him and start sipping the fresh drink. "I bet you've made a lot of enemies with that attitude." Instead of answering, Flowey glares at the glass of water you push his way like it had personally offended him. "...What ?"

***

Soon after, Frisk came back, intent on convincing you to meet more of their friends after you'd mention Papyrus. 

'I can't believe you ran into Papy already! You have to meet the others! You're going to love them!'

"Ugh, Frisk... All your friends suck, but the Smiley Trashbag and his gang are just the worst!" Flowey laments, and though he is borderline insulting, you have to admit that, as much as you loved the kid, you have no intention of meeting **all** of their friends. That sounded... tiresome.

"Ah, a gang of skeletons ? That's funny." Flowey had stopped to give you the stink eye whenever you'd speak, instead giving you inconspicuous look while sipping on the juice you had been kind enough to offer him after he started whining about not wanting water. 'I doubt they'll be as sweet as Papyrus, though.'

'They are!' Frisk swears, adamant that you meet them at some point. It was rare to see them talk about someone so fervently. You nod along, actually considering the thing. 

" **Frisk!** " Flowey yells from the table. "Mo-Toriel said not to-! Hey, don’t give me that look ! I'm the one who's gonna get in trouble if _he_ hears you and tells on us ! You can talk about it **_later."_** Flowey nervously looks around but Frisk's face is a wall of confidence and determination when they reassure him. About what, you have no idea. What follows is a sort of silent exchange between the two children that you can just observe with curiosity. 

_What's this?_

_'Toriel...?'_ You let the two of them finish their little argument, looking away before you remember something."By the way Frisk, I didn't get to ask you about your new family. You doing good ?" You ask and you feel your smile grow along with theirs.

'Yeah! Living with Mom and Flowey is great ! I have tons of uncles and aunts, and all my best friends too. They're the best family" They answer give a thumb up, and Flowey rolls his eyes to hide a subtle blush. 

"Oh yeah ?" Your smile is big, your eyes creased in amusement. "That's good to hear!" You smile affectionately, twirling your drink in your hand. "Ebott's looking better than ever too."

Their enthusiasm wanes a little. 'Yes. It was-' They pause, it's brief but you notice it. '-harder than I thought. There's still a lot of room to improve." They pause again and you raise an eyebrow. "But things are getting better." 

You can easily tell that something's bothering them but they're still hesitant to talk about it. The grocery store's accident comes to your mind first but you doubt it's about this. Frisk has a strong sense of responsibility but they know these kind of things are bound to happen, especially when Monsters have only been around for a year. Flowey is too busy glancing around your table and won't look at you either, which means...

_They can't talk about it here ?_

... "Right. Anyway, I wondered if you could me a hand for my research?" 

"What research ?" Flowey cuts in. His voice holds an inquisitive tone and you turn your eyes to him. 

"Mine." You repeat cooly. "A past time of mine, you could say. Curious ?" You explain and Frisk nods along.

"Whatever." The neutral face of displeasure, oh, did Frisk taught him how to do that? ... And that's when Frisk surprises you by cutting in. 

'She's doing research on souls! ' 

.

.

.

"Frisk...?" You look at them in disbelief. You cover your face behind your hands in exasperation. Betrayed by my own people... "It's no fun if you blurt it like that."

'Sorry.' They don't look that sorry, sheepish at most, and you huff good-heartedly. 

'Anyway, now that _everyone_ knows what this is about, is there any good place where I can find books on the subject?'

"Can't you look for it yourself?" Flowey growls, agitated and you had an idea of why. " Why would you even do research on that ? You are-Oh my stars, **Frisk!!"**

A one-way fight ensues between when the golden flower sees Frisk start typing a list of names on their phone, nagging them like an overbearing mother. Seconds later, you receive a message with a list of names; bookstores, libraries and other places with their addresses. The list is surprisingly long and it confirms your previous assumption about Ebott's size. All the addresses points to different parts of the city and districtsf. Great, it was going to be a nightmare just to locate them. The festival is two weeks long, you think. It was going to be rough.

  
  


Still, you thank them and put your phone away. 'Well, enough with the boring talk, we've got some sightseeing to do, yes?' 

You start to get up followed by Frisk who grabs your sleeve, forcing you to look at them in the eyes.

'... We need to tal--' 

" **PUUUUNK!** " 

Suddenly you grab Frisk by the wrist and pull them to your side, only just a second before a silhouette crashes into the table where your group had been seated with a loud crashing sound. 

. 

. 

. 

A comical minute of silence passes while you try to assess the situation in front of you. In your arms, Frisk watches with a thrilled look on their face the giant blue woman who just literally threw herself on your table, sending Flowey waltzing, and currently grunting and uttering insanities from the floor where he'd landed... 

...Did she just try to tackle Frisk ?

"What the-" " **Frisk!** Oh, Flowey, you're here too!" 

_'She got up...!'_ You feel panic building up inside you when you see the woman effortlessly rise, as if nothing had happened. And now that you see her on her feet, she’s huge! 

"And who the hell are **you**?" 

The question stuns you and you just stare at her with a dumb expression on your face. She looks you up and down with suspicion, ignoring the curses and threats that Flowey throw her way, still face on the ground. 

"U-Undyne, did you find them?" A familiar voice calls from behind you and Frisk, and the so-called Undyne turns to the little yellow monster approaching your group, running. 

. 

. 

. 

"Oh! Y-you're from yesterday-! " 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's already out ! Makes me want to give myself a pat on the back o/  
> First, I'd like to thank you for all the kudos et comments ? T-T That's really sweet of you guys...
> 
> Sooo, yeah, meet Flowey ? I guess ?  
> He's a bit creepy and yells a lot but nothing that Reader can't handle it o:  
> Take care and I'll see you around~


	7. It's a kind of magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet new and familiar faces, then discover the pleasures of Ebott by night.

No matter how confident you were of your reaction time, the speed at which the Monster grabs you was not something you were prepared for. You barely have the time to push Frisk behind you before the woman throws herself at you. In a matter of second, she grabs you by the collar and effortlessly lifts you up.

To be honest, you hadn't let yourself be manhandled like this in ages, and as you feel your feet dangling in the air, you begin to grasp the gravity of the situation. Eh. 

" **You!** You're the punk who insulted my girlfriend !?" The Monster growls, her sharp teeth dangerously close to your face. The meaning behind her question however goes completely over your head.

"Uh..." Unfortunately, the woman seems to take your chocked silence as a sign of defiance and, against all odds, manages to lift you up to eye level, leaving you speechless and in dire need of oxygen. 

" **What?** Cat got your tongue?" 

"O-Oh my s-stars! Undyne, No!" 

From the corner of your eye, you see a pair of yellow claws desperately clinging to the arm of your assailant. The difference in size makes the task difficult, but by craning your neck a little bit, you can see the familiar face of your savior, Alphys. 

"P-put her down, please! She's the one who helped me!" You hear the lizard reason with her companion and suddenly, the pressure around your collar disappears and you fall to the ground, barely standing on your two legs.

'...!' _Gravity_

"What!?" 

Now that you're back on the ground and a little less flustered, you take the time to get a better look at the odd couple. Immediately you recognize Alphys, her outfit, a light polka-dot dress, making her look a little more laid-back than the day before. Next to her, the woman she had called Undyne, a fish woman, you realize.

Her skin is a deep shade of turquoise and her long scarlet hair falls to her shoulders, tied in a ponytail. You don't linger on her teeth, which you had the opportunity to fully admire for a few long and uncomfortable seconds (though she looked much friendlier now that she was smiling and you were at a safe distance), and note that a black eye patch covers her left eye. Overall, she gives you the impression of a morally and physically strong woman. You don't need much more to connect the dots. 

"You should have told me sooner! Sorry, punk." 

_The_ Undyne, uh ...

  
  


***

A few explanations and several apologies later, Alphys had managed to clarify the situation with Undyne who had then officially labelled you as a "harmless punk", trying to give you "friendly" armlock whenever you were close enough. Actually, you're not sure if it was her way of warning you not to try anything you might regret, or if she was genuinely grateful and had taken a liking to you. 

In any case, somewhere in the discussion, one of the two goofy lovers had hinted that you'd not only a soldier in front of you, but also the Royal Scientist. 

'Alphys, really ?' You'd asked, quite impressed and now very interested. You heard a lot of good about the Royal Scientist and had thought of looking for them sometimes. That was your chance to discuss some things with her… Later though.

'The Star of the Underground, the Mascot, the Captain of the Royal Guard... And now the Royal Scientist.' You were starting to see a pattern there. Other than the fact that they were all a bit too aggressively friendly, they all were so... normal ? Nice ?... No. More like they wore so easily their heart on their sleeve that it made them charismatic in their own way. Probably the reason why they were such important figures of their community. 

_Maybe that's the difference between us._

You sigh and join Frisk to help Flowey. The poor fella was still swearing at Undyne from the ground. 

"Anyway, we've been looking for you guys!" Undyne announces at some point, unaware of the dark look Flowey sends her way. "Frisk! Mutt told me you sneaked up on him again!? You know Toriel's gonna dust me if you get lost!" 

Frisk shrugs, feigning ignorance and you quietly snicker at their antics. 

"Tsk tsk… So they were hanging out with you?" Undyne calls out to you and you startle like a child caught making fun of their sibling. 

...'Sorry? I thought they had the permission.' 

Undyne brings her hand to her chin, eyeing you up and down critically. You falter under her piercing gaze, suddenly recalling why you didn't particularly wanted to meet Frisk's guardians and friends. Besides being a very awkward experience, there were just too many things about you to be suspicious of and you weren't sure what got her curious. 

"I can't believe you passed under Mutt's radar… Not bad for a wimp!" Undyne interrupts you without further explanation and you don't know if you should feel offended or not. At least she wasn't threatening you. Just being _really_ intense. Probably. 

"HEY! Guys, get over here! Let's go celebrate in a bar! "

***

'What exactly are we celebrating for ?' You sign after finishing your second cup of lemon tea. It's sweet and you let its soothing aroma take over your nerves. 

'The festival? But I think they just wanted to check out this place.' Frisk answers between bites of brownies. 

'Yeah ?' You know, I've been to theme cafes before, but I didn't expect to find one here.' 

"WHAT!?" 

Knocking her fist on the table, Undyne sends her own cup flying, and crashing into the wall with a loud " **Clink**!", its contents, an infusion of Echo Flowers, leaving a fairly large stain on the creamy wall.

"... You'd better clean that up." You deadpan at the excitement of the _infamous hot-headed and ruthless_ Captain of the Royal Guard. 

Well, that was the image you still had of her half an hour ago, that is, before she and Alphys had led your crew to the most adorable Japan themed bar you'd ever seen. 

The building was actually more of a Cafe than a bar - like Undyne liked to call it-. The decoration was a perfect balance between pastel colors and references to Japanese culture, with an indecent amount of sweets on the menu. 

_Might as well say they got you with the kotatsu and food._

The concept must have been carefully thought. Alphys had explained to you that ice Monsters were using their magic to keep the building cool and allow the customers to enjoy the kotatsu even in summer. A festival-exclusive experience. 

And you loved every minute of it. 

"Woshua and Lesser Dog are already on it! " She points at the the Monsters behind her who are, indeed, actively cleaning the mess. "What were you saying about other theme bars?

"Don't make them clean up your mess, Undyne." Your eyelids drop and you point your finger at Frisk and Flowey. "Not a great example for the kids."

"Why **you-**!" 

"I'm not explaining anything if you flip the table over again." You narrow your eyes and she successfully managed to swallow all her frustration, hiding it behind a big, forced smile. You think you can almost see a vein pops on her forehead when Alphys tries to calm her down by gently rubbing her back. 

And at that moment, it occurs to you that you don't feel as awkward anymore. 

Well. _Hard to feel awkward when all the people around you are walking comic relief._

"S-so, you like theme cafe too, y/n?" Alphys asks and you notice that she too seems to enjoy herself, surrounded by people she trusts and things she loves. She was nothing like the shy little girl you met the day before and, you think you caught a glimpse of her true personality when she tried to explain you the importance of the influence of Japanese culture on the international scene. Never had you ever saw someone get so fired up about their passion. 

'Ah, yeah. They're a bit expensive but some of them are really nice.' You explain and push Flowey away when you see a leaf getting dangerously near your plate. 'This one is great.' The heartfelt compliment earns you a wink -or so you guess- from Undyne while Alphys lowers her head, a bashfull blush on her face, and that was precious.

***

'That sounds complicated.' You were asking Alphys details about an anime she'd talked about -something about a girl and cats- when Frisk tugs at your sleeve, an expression of wonder on their face.

'What's up? Flowey stole your cake again?' 

'No. I was thinking, you could visit Alphys in her lab sometimes, she knows lots about souls and magic. I can go with you, and Mettaton can come too! They're good friends.' 

'Sure…' You'd rather not have Mettaton around though. He was a distraction. A glamour and dancing distraction. 

But speaking of him, you remember you'd met another confident and hard-working Monster, and he had claimed to be a recruit of the Royal Guard. 

"Undyne?" 

"Hm? " She grunts, still chewing on a mochi Alphys fed her. 

"Do you know a Papyrus?" You ask bluntly, not missing the pregnant pause that follows your question. "... He's a skeleton Monster. Very tall, loud voice, kinda a sweetheart?" You insist and a look of recognition appears on her face.

"Oh, yeah! He used to be a sentry back Underground. Doesn't look like it but he's hella tough, you know? Had a lot of potential, but the guy's just too soft for the job." She explains with a gentle smile and you nod with a similar one. "Guess who was the first one to get chummy with Frisk!? " 

"Sounds like him, alright." Your eyes crinkle with mirth as you imagine the pair of sweethearts together. 

"So you met him too, uh? Man, trying to pull a Frisk on us? Well, you're gonna have to try a little HARDER. By this time, we'd already become beasties, FUHUHUH!!!" You roll your eyes, giving up on stopping her when she slams her elbows on the table. Frisk looks ecstatic though. "Actually, I'm sure Frisk has something to do with that. They're an expert at setting people up." Her single yellow eye is throwing daggers at Frisk, and you get the feeling their meeting must have been explosive. 

"O-oh, right! Where did you two meet?" Alphys takes over, a glint in her thick glasses. 

'Ebott, a few years ago. I taught them a few tricks and they kept me company while I was there.'

"Oh, so you've known each other for a while-", "NGAHHH!" Suddenly, Undyne slams her fist on the table,and everyone startle. "Enough with the boring talk! SHORTY! Do you know how to fight?? Or was it you who taught that **loser** here to run away?" She jabs her finger at a very much unfazed Frisk, who proudly makes a victory sign with their fingers. 

***

It's only much later in the afternoon that you come out of the cafe. Flowey was starting to get cranky, more than usual anyway, and the dogs had been talking about heading to a real bar to play poker. 

'Flowey and I have to go home! I'll text you guys later.' The two kids were the first to leave, soon enough followed by Undyne who had to get up early the next day and Alphys who had an emergency at work. She'd left in a hurry, mumbling something about her colleagues being lazy thugs or something. 

"Do you want to", "play poker with us?" Dogamy and Dogaressa asked when you were the only one left.

Despite not having talked much to the fluffy canine couple - they'd been in their own world the whole time - they seemed nice. Plus, Lesser Dog and Greater Dog were two darlings. 

"Sure, why not."

***

CoolSkeleton: DEAR FRIEND, THIS KIND OF PLACE IS HARDLY A GOOD PLACE TO SOCIALIZE. THE FOOD IS GREASY, THE ALCOHOL TERRIBLE, AND IT'S GETTING LATE! DO YOU NEED ME TO PICK YOU UP ?? 

Me : Actually 

Me: It's pretty neat 

Me : m good. I promised Dogaressa to watch over L.D til they finish their game

The Guardsmen had led you to a little bar in District 1, Grillby's, and at some point, Papyrus had started messaging you. 

Between two messages, you peek over L.D's shoulder. Despite all his efforts, the poor guy kept losing to himself in a game of chess. Again.

The atmosphere was very cosy there, the wooden walls and velvet banquettes an invitation to have a drink or two while playing poker or darts. Dogamy had explained that the owner tried to reproduce the bar he had Underground. Of course, with a few upgrades, but he'd kept the spirit of the house. Looking around you, it was obvious many regulars felt at home here and wanted to keep it that way. 

You'd also learned more about the new Ebott while talking with Dogamy. Especially on the good addresses and the areas you should avoid. Ebott was divided in four districts, but the festival only took place in two of them. District 1 and 3. Apparently, Humans and especially tourists were told not to wander in the rest of the city or near Mt Ebott if possible. 

_"Listen, pup, even if you're curious you shouldn't go there. Especially at night. District 2 is full of scary Monsters, and-"_ By the time Dogaressa realized what her husband was doing, and started lecturing him about how he shouldn't scare civils, you'd already heard enough to have some questions. _Scary Monsters?_ After a while of gently pestering him, Dogamy begged you to forget about it, giving you the puppy eyes when his wife gave him the stink eye. 

_"Don't listen to him, little one. The Monsters who live there just prefer to keep to themselves. They rarely venture out of their neighborhoods, and when they do, they mind their own business."_ Dogaressa had tried to reassure you. 

_"Don't mess with them and you'll be fine!"_ Dogamy tried to follow his mate example but the pointed look she directed at him made the poor doggo falter. 

_"And_ **_if_ ** _something happens, it's our job to help! Now let's play!"_

***

"Greater says you smell", "like rain." 

"Rain?" You look up, pocketing your phone. Since you'd started ignoring him in favor of answering to Papyrus, G.D had been intent on sniffing your face, no matter how many times you pushed his snout away. "Seriously?" 

You sniff your wrist by reflex but there's no particular smell.

"They are not sure","But they like it."

"I thought dogs didn't like rain? Heard it throw them off or something…" That's precisly the moment G.D choose to throw himself in your lap, taking advantage of his smaller stature. 

To think the furball usually wore an armour twice your height and weight during working hours... He was most likely going to crush you if he ever meets you on a patrol.

May he remain a small doggo for the sake of your spine. 

"It's a rich smell", "but confusing." 

"Lots of smells in one," "it's hard to focus and tell them apart."

You hum, a thoughtful sigh.

Looking around, the bar is slowly starting to fill up, the volume having increased with the arrival of new patrons. All Monsters. When you arrived, you'd spotted a few Humans, but now you just couldn't find any. _It's only a little before midnight, weird._

Your table was located in the very back, hidden behind a wall so people couldn't see your group but, from where you're seated, you did have a good vision of the room. 

_And the place was filled with Monsters._

But, _different_.

Not quite like the ones you'd met in the streets these last days. 

From a distance, you can see a plant whose sharp fangs twist into a gigantic crooked smile, exchanging a few words with another customer. That alone wouldn't surprise you much. Flowey could pull some serious scary faces despite being a cute little golden flower but, that was it. Scary faces. This one looked like they'd seen **hell**.

Noticing how you've gone silent, Dogaressa raises her head, careful to hide her cards properly. 

"A problem, pup?" 

"Nope, I'm fine. Hey we've been here for a while. The owner doesn't mind if we don't order anything?" 

"Grillby? Nah, we go way back, he doesn't mind. But go get a drink if you want!", "Go with her, Lesser!" 

"Arf!" 

***

'Hello again, Mr. Grillby.' "Bark!" You call out as you approach the bar. 

The blazing bartender nods as a greeting and invites you to take a seat. You climb on a stool at the end of the counter and Grillby promptly offers you a menu to share before returning to his cleaning. A man of few words, indeed. You find yourself watching him as he smoothly reach for an empty glass. He's probably one of the most humanoid Monsters you've ever met, with flames covering a tall lean body, although you suspected his black and white waiter's outfit might be hiding muscular arms... _Not that you'd ask._ A pair of glasses gave you an idea of where his face was, but it really was the flames on his head that made it possible for you to roughly gauge his mood. 

'... He's hot.' You can't help but snicker at your own pun, letting your gaze wander back to Lesser who yips to let you know he's picked his drink. He slides you the menu and you quickly glance at it. A few names you recognize as Human drinks but there's a majority of drinks infused with magic. 'Zen Star, Flaming Velvet, Inferno...' The names are kinda funny and out of curiosity, you ask L. D. if only Monsters can have it. 

"Bark!" He responds with gusto. "Ah, right." Grillby looks busy so you just search for a footnote and luckily, there's one! 

_"Beverages infused with raw magic are reserved for Monsters._

_Semi-infused drinks can be ordered by anyone._

_Each drink has a special effect, enjoy."_

As you finish reading, Grillby arrives with a pint of beer that he hands to your buddy. _Seeing your cuddly companion lapping alcohol stirs up mixed feelings but you decide to overlook it._

"...?" Grillby then tilts his head to the side, probably asking if you'd like to order something.

Well. You _knew_ the effect of magic on you. 

But, you were

_Curious_

  
  


"A Purple Maze, please."

No description on the menu, but your attention unconsciously gravitates to the name. The bartender nods and bends down to grab a few bottles from under the counter. His movements are elegant and concise, the trademark of a professional, and you enjoy the performance, quietly clapping at the end when he slides a pretty cocktail your way, the drink a rich shade of mauve. 

Up close, you notice that the color shifts slightly under the light of his flames, a marvelous sight… 'Thank you.' You grin giddily and take a sip. The liquid slides easily down your throat, leaving no burn or harsh taste of alcohol in your mouth. On the contrary, it's fruity and light, giving you a very pleasant aftertaste. Enjoying the sweetness, you rest the glass on the counter, letting the magic of the drink permeate your system. 

It feels good. Your whole body relaxes, a foreign heat spreading throughout your body. 

Your mind goes _blank_ and you breathe a sigh of contentment. 

_It feels good,_

Until it doesn't anymore. 

You barely have time to savor this feeling of peacefulness that it's snatched from you, replaced by a throbbing in your chest. You can feel your pupils dilate and all your senses sharpen, your whole body on alert as if during an adrenaline rush. 

And _your soul_. It's pulsating, beating erratically and greedily soaking up the magic that runs through your body. Each pulsation fills you with a painful sense of power and the burn hurts much more than you remember. You suck in a shaky breath when it feels like your soul is going to explode, shatter into a thousand pieces. _But it won't_ , and the pain eventually fades away. 

It's not nearly as bad as the booze Gerson offered you one time, but _holy cow_... You absent-mindely feel your face with the tips of your fingers, if you don't have a headache after that... L.D. happily barks, his pint's already empty and if that's even possible, he seems more excited than usual. You're unfortunately not versed in barking, nonetheless you try your best to come up with a translation anyway. "Do you want a taste? It's very sweet.' 

"... Bark!" 

'...Yes?'

Cue a staring contest between your tired self and L.D who won't take the glass and just look you right in the eyes. You know that Grillby's silently watching but you can't exactly ask him to help you. _You even suspect him of smiling at your antics..._ "What?... You want another beer ?" You narrow your eyes, the one-way discussion making you feel like a drunk trying have a serious talk with a wall.

The creak of the front door announces the arrival of new customers and you're the first one to look away. At your side, L.D. notices it too and growls, a deep sound between a whimper and a grunt. 

Standing at the entrance are a dozen Monsters, quite similar to the ones you'd observed earlier. _Sharp and in a bad mood_. That alone wouldn't be that bad, but they really looked like they had a _rough_ night. _And y_ _ou don't miss the stench that fills the room the moment they enter the room._ You observe them discreetly, hiding behind Lesser Dog who straightens up to appear bigger when two of them decide to settle down at the bar, a few stools away from you. The rest of the group disperse in the room without a word and something feels off in the way other patrons look away. 

_"District 2 is full of scary Monsters..."_

Ah.

"Hey... Grillby ? Two Soul Twisters." The one on the left, some kind of horse, calls out to Grillby, looking both tired and annoyed. He had a beautiful black mane and you were pretty sure the many scars that adorned his ecmpletely exposed torso were not just for show. Doesn't stop you from frowning when you hear the disdain in his voice. "For fuck 'sake, **Doggo**. Stop sniffing around, damn it!" He growls at his buddy. 

Grillby gives you a side glance and you lightly nod, trying to pull Lesser so the both of you make a quick exit, before things go sour. You have a good idea of why all the Humans suddenly deserted the building and you'd rather not see for yourself what would happen when they notice you.

You are on your feet, ready to sneak away with Lesser when the horse's voice resounds again, in your direction this time. 

"Ah. **Ya here, Red ?** " 

. 

. 

.

'Red ?' You open your mouth, but only a hiccup of surprise manages to pass your lips. In spite of yourself, you lower your head and take a small step back. 

_**When did he get so close ?**_

There, blocking the way and menacingly _looming_ over you is what you barely manage to identify as a skeleton.

_A huge angry-looking skeleton wearing a black jacket._

If you thought the horse was somehow intimidating, the behemoth that had mysteriously appeared behind you was on a whole new level. Papyrus was your only reference but they had nothing in common. Despite being shorter, he still towered over you and was so much larger, giving the impression he could crush you just by standing too close. Rows of sharp teeth set in a nonchalent grin, but he was definitely _not_ smiling. A shudder runs down your spine at the sight of his two empty sockets. Your gaze frantically wanders over details like the sinister glint of a single golden tooth in the corner of his mouth or the way his face is set in a frown when it occurs to you that he stands abnormally still. 

"What th- **Hey,** **the fuck ya doing here**!?" 

The horse snarls and if the skeleton hasn't noticed -you despite the proximity- now his lifeless sockets are definitely pointed at you. Lesser Dog growls fiercely and your instincts kick in, your mind racing with answers that wouldn't aggravate him. 

"Got a problem, **mutt**?" The horse grunts back. "Hey, bartender! Why's there a fuckin' human inside?... Yer a tourist?" He comes up to you and level him with a stern expression.

"... Yes. We just came to get a drink. We're leaving."

" 'that so?" He sneers and looks up at the skeleton. "Ya lucky Red's completely wasted. The guy hates Humans and he's got a hella temper." He spits to your face, a dark gleam in his eye. "Ya can kiss your pretty little head goodbye if he wakes up. So, **scram**." 

_Threats ?_

Your jaw tightens and you feel something boiling inside you. Something ugly and _v_ _iolent._ The end of your mouth twitch a little but you try to keep your composure. Your gaze pan over the whole room, meeting some worried or amused faces, before returning to the Monster in front of you. _He reeks of Violence, it's almost unbearable._

_But he is just trying to scare you off._

~~_Don't freak out._ ~~

'...' Your expression must reflect something that the horse misunderstands because he howls with laughter before going back to nursing his drink. Not having him in your face anymore allows you to calm down and you slowly raise your head, looking up with -you know it- a hard look in your eyes at the other Monster 

As expected, the skeleton is still there, when you turn around. The horse said he that he's asleep but he still looks pretty much pissed to you, at least as much as you feel. The question of how much booze can make someone that size pass out comes to your mind, but you'll figure it out some other day. When you're not literally nose to belly with a drunk skeleton, and in a better mood yourself.

Your nose scrunch up in distaste. The lingering spicy smell of Violence is getting to you. _You'll have to ask Frisk about that..._

You take a side step to go around the sleeping big boy, motioning to Lesser to follow you and fail to notice something.

Two sharp red lights in the empty sockets.

_Staring_

Two piercing ruby eyelights that _zero in_ on you the second you start walking away. 

_Like a predator observing a hard-hunted prey._

You hear some kind of rustling and he suddenly **grabs** your left arm, his huge hand closing around your wrist like a vice."Wh-!" You flinch, almost toppling over and immediately fearing for your arm. The pressure isn't strong enough to hurt you, just tight enough to pin you down. 

He's **not** asleep. 

_'Fuck.'_

  
  


Fuck, fuck, **fuck**

  
  


The room's gone quiet, most of the eyes riveted on the action but not in worry or amusement this time, everyone just looks down right anxious. You bet half of them expect your hand to be ripped off -that or your head- given how his sullen face suddenly turns into a broad, manic smile, his two eyelights flashing dangerously. To be fair, you'd also be inclined to assume the worst for your arm if he didn't look so... haggard? 

With a slow, almost careful movement, you see his other hand rise up. His fingers twitch a little, the golden rings shimmering around his knuckles, and you can hardly believe your eyes when he shows you his hand. And by that, you mean that he's reaching out as if to ask you for a handshake. You stare at it not without an ounce of suspicion, considering if he was going for your throat this time. '...?' When you see that he's not backing off, you search his face for the slightest sign of hostility but find nothing either...Was he just sleepwalking ?

" 'm Red…" He mumbles quite literally through his teeth. It's deep and somewhat sluggish but that's definitely his voice, you think. You can't believe how smooth it sounds despite the tick accent and the slurring ' _... Is he trying to, er, introduce himself ?'_ Wouldn't be surprising, alcohol can make you do weird shits. 

_Too bad, you're done for today._

'...' He gives a tentative smile and his eyelights expand in his sockets when your raise your free hand. Though, instead of shaking his hand, you use it to carefully reach for his wrist and grip it tight when he doesn't seem to mind. You focus and let your magic strikes the skeleton. In an instant, his eyelights go out and all you have to do is jerk your arm a few times to release yourself, the little spell having successfully lulled him to sleep. 

Letting the magic wear off, it occurs to you that his little friends might wonder what's going on but when you look over your shoulder, all the patrons have gone back to their own business. 

_More like they make a point of not looking your way._

The magic was already so tick in the air anyway, you doubt they'd noticed anything, even Lesser who was just next to you looked clueless, sniffing the skeleton as to check if he was really asleep this time. 

"Sorry, buddy. Tell the others I'm leaving." He perks up and nods, only leaving when he hears the skeleton snoring softly. 'Mr. Grillby, can you call his family or someone to get him home? As it is, he's not waking up anytime soon.' _Not with you around, anyway._

He nods but you miss the way his gaze follows you as you head for the exit. 

***

You push the door, the wind in your hair a welcome feeling as you start walking back to the shop of Gerson. _Ebott is still so quite at night._

_'Some things never change...'_

You sigh, revewing the events of the last two days. And what a bloody mess.

_'... What did Frisk get themself into again ?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh...  
> This chapter was a nightmare to write and edit, and it still didn't turn out the way I wanted. I didn't want to split it in 2 parts but lots of things needed to be said so I had to make tons of cuts and ellipses.  
> You'll see some good ol backstory soon, in the meatime, I hope that you like the direction the story is taking and that you enjoyed Red's short appearance (you'll get his and other pov soon enough eheh).
> 
> And most important, thanks for the kudos, bookmarks and comments, you lovely people! o/ In order to not get too excited and reveal too much of the plot, I don't really answer comments but I love to read them!
> 
> Toodle-oo!


	8. The Beyond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pss, check out the end note!  
> (And this Tumblr : https://staywithme-undertaleficblog.tumblr.com/ )

_ "Keep going."  _

_ The man's voice echoes through the room, commanding as usual, and you feel your throat tightening under the strain.  _

_ One knee on the floor, the soft sunlight that floods the entire hall fails to warm you up. Your breathing is shallow, your vision hazy, and you feel your strength leaving you while your soul visibly pales in front of you. _

_ It feels like you're  _ **_dying_ ** _. _

_ A broken whimper escapes you when you hear the sound of footsteps ahead of you.The pungent smell of his magic and the stench of death clinging to his skin sickens you.  _

_ A final warning. _

_ You know what will happen if you fail again.  _

_ Holding your hand to your chest, you peer through the tears in your eyes at the sole dagger in your right hand. Its dim mauve glow flickers and you desperately bend your will to keep it summoned.  _

_ "Rise up."  _

_ The scratches on your hands burn and you feel your joints crack at the slightest movement but you obey anyway. Your whole body screams under its own weight, and for a painful few seconds, it's as if time has been suspended in that cursed hall.  _

_ It is a pitiful sight. _

_ "How fitting."  _

_ The adult stares at you disinterestedly. He is by no means a feeble man and you shiver at the thought of having exhausted his patience with you.Your lips quiver as you stammer a few words. But your voice is too soft and his expression so grave.  _

_ He raises his hand and new weapons materialize in the air. _

__

_ One, two _

_ Three _

_ Four, five, six, seven,  _ **_eight_ **

_ You dodge them all, but the heavy noise they make as each of them crashes against the walls and the floor is deafening. _

_ Every move you make draws on your last ounce of strength and you are a second too late to avoid the last one.  _

**_Crack_ **

_ You see the magical blade lodge itself in your soul and a stabbing pain hits your right in the chest. _

_ You stagger and blindly strike a fierce blow behind you.But you lose your balance and end up on the ground, your abdomen crushed under the weight of his boot. You feel your Hope dropping, the pain too intense on your side and in your soul. _

_ You cry out a heart-rending wail. Begging for a healer to come. Pleading for the pain to stop.  _

_ You just want it to  _ **_stop_ **

  
  
  


_ But nobody came _

  
  


_ "How many times do I have to tell you?"  _

_ The man's words are harsh, a hint of disgust in the way he looks down at the child under his heel.You feel your consciousness wavering, black spots slowly clouding over the silhouette of your father. _

  
  
  


_ "A mage never begs for mercy. It's  _ **_disgraceful_ ** _." _

.

_. _

.  
  
.

**_Ah, someone's putting up a fight._ **

**_I see._ **

**_How interesting._ **

  
  
  


**_Look at you,_ **

~~**_All broken._ ** ~~

****

**_Have you reached your limit yet?_ **

**_That would be a shame._ **

**_You never liked to play by the rules,_ **

**_So you'll hold on a little longer, ~~won't you ?~~_ **

~~**_Little Mage._ ** ~~

**_I always wondered what it'd taste like..._ **

**_The distress of ~~a being that never dies.~~_ **

  
  


**_I'm sure it must be,_ **

  
  


**_Exquisite_ **

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An interlude in Reader's dreams. (With an uninvited guest ?) The next chapter would have been too long, so I'm posting them separately.
> 
> Also, I've spent the last few days editing the previous chapters. It ranges from small cuts in the description to new lines of dialogue. Feel free to check it out if you want, but I'll try to specify in future chapters if something refers to a revised event, so don't feel obliged to reread everything if you don't want to ! ;)
> 
> Also! I created a Tumblr where I post my drawings for this fic and UT in general ! Come say hello and ask questions if you have any! o/ Any contribution is appreciated~ And thanks again for the sweet, sweet kudos and comments ♥

**Author's Note:**

> Join the fun~
> 
> Check out its Tumblr : https://staywithme-undertaleficblog.tumblr.com/


End file.
